Apartheid

=== Presidency of F. W. de Klerk ===
[[File:Frederik de Klerk with Nelson Mandela - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 1992.jpg|thumb|de Klerk and Mandela in [[Davos]], 1992]]
Early in 1989, Botha had a [[stroke]]; he was prevailed upon to resign in February 1989.<ref>Roherty, James Michael (1992). ''State security in South Africa: civil-military relations under P.W. Botha.'' M.E. Sharpe. p. 23. {{ISBN|978-0-87332-877-7}}.</ref> He was succeeded as president later that year by [[Frederik Willem de Klerk|F. W. de Klerk]]. Despite his initial reputation as a conservative, de Klerk moved decisively towards negotiations to end the political stalemate in the country. Prior to his term in office, F. W. de Klerk had already experienced political success as a result of the power base he had built in the Transvaal. During this time, F. W. de Klerk served as chairman to the provincial National Party, which was in favour of the Apartheid regime. The transition of de Klerk's ideology regarding apartheid is seen clearly in his opening address to parliament on 2 February 1990. F. W. de Klerk announced that he would repeal discriminatory laws and lift the 30-year ban on leading anti-apartheid groups such as the African National Congress, the Pan Africanist Congress, the [[South African Communist Party]] (SACP) and the [[United Democratic Front (South Africa)|United Democratic Front]]. The Land Act was brought to an end. F. W. de Klerk also made his first public commitment to release Nelson Mandela, to return to [[press freedom]] and to suspend the death penalty. Media restrictions were lifted and political prisoners not guilty of [[common law]] crimes were released.

On 11 February 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from [[Victor Verster Prison]] after more than 27 years behind bars.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/11/newsid_2539000/2539947.stm |title=1990: Freedom for Nelson Mandela |date=11 February 1990 |publisher=BBC |access-date=16 September 2023 |archive-date=23 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023134531/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/11/newsid_2539000/2539947.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Having been instructed by the [[UN Security Council]] to end its long-standing involvement in South West Africa/[[Namibia]], and in the face of military stalemate in Southern Angola, and an escalation in the size and cost of the combat with the Cubans, the Angolans, and SWAPO forces and the growing cost of the border war, South Africa negotiated a change of control; [[Namibia]] became independent on 21 March 1990.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.klausdierks.com/Chronology/132.htm |title=Chronology of Namibian Independence |access-date=16 September 2023 |archive-date=23 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523021428/http://www.klausdierks.com/Chronology/132.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>