He rose to power in 1989 during the apartheid era, a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination.

However, he later became a pivotal figure in the transition to democracy.

He ordered the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, which led to historic elections where Mandela, an anti-apartheid leader, became the first black president of South Africa.

De Klerk shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Mandela for their efforts in negotiating an end to apartheid.

Despite this, his legacy remains controversial in South Africa.

Following his death, the FW de Klerk Foundation released what they called his 'final message,' in which he addressed apartheid.

He stated, 'Let me today, in this last message, repeat: I, without qualification, apologize for the pain and the hurt, and the indignity, and the damage, to black, brown, and Indians in South Africa.

' The foundation announced that De Klerk had died peacefully at his home after battling mesothelioma, a cancer affecting the lining of the lungs.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that De Klerk's death should inspire reflection on the birth of the country's democracy.

After working for over a decade as a lawyer, De Klerk won a parliamentary seat for the National Party, which had implemented apartheid in 1948.

He held several ministerial positions before becoming the party leader in February 1989 and then president a few months later.

Although initially a staunch supporter of apartheid, he publicly advocated for a non-racial South Africa after assuming power.

In a notable 1990 speech to parliament, he announced the lifting of the ban on parties, including Mandela's African National Congress (ANC), and ordered Mandela's release from prison after 27 years.

His actions were instrumental in ending apartheid-era South Africa, and he became one of the country's two deputy presidents following the multi-party elections in 1994 that saw Mandela become president.

De Klerk retired from politics in 1997, stating, 'I am convinced it is in the best interest of the party and the country.

'Although De Klerk and Mandela often had bitter disagreements, Mandela described him as a man of great integrity.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said De Klerk would 'forever be linked to Nelson Mandela in the annals of South African history.

' The foundation added that De Klerk's legacy is significant but uneven, something South Africans must reckon with.

Many have blamed De Klerk for violence against black South Africans and anti-apartheid activists during his time in power.

Last year, he faced criticism for not fully agreeing with a presenter who asked him to confirm that apartheid was a crime against humanity.

De Klerk later apologized for 'quibbling' over the matter.

Human rights lawyer Howard Varney described him as an 'apologist for apartheid,' while the Fort Calata Foundation, which seeks justice for those killed by the former white-minority regime, called him an 'apartheid criminal.

' In the video message released after his death, De Klerk reiterated his apologies for the pain and indignity that apartheid caused to people of color in South Africa.

In his message, President Ramaphosa praised De Klerk for the 'vital role' he played in South Africa's transition to democracy, despite facing severe pressure from many in his political constituency.

South Africa's main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, said De Klerk's contribution to the country's transition to democracy could not be overstated.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said De Klerk would be remembered for his 'steely courage and realism in doing what was manifestly right.

' Reactions in South Africa reflect the divisions that have surrounded De Klerk for decades.

Some view him as a decent man and a rare politician who took the unusual step of negotiating a path out of power for himself and his party, thereby helping to steer the country away from a racial civil war that many feared would engulf South Africa in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

However, others, including Mandela, were more cautious, seeing De Klerk as a political opportunist and a conservative Afrikaner who realized that with the end of the Cold War and international sanctions biting, he had no choice but to negotiate with the black majority.

In recent years, a younger generation of South Africans, some encouraged by populist politicians, have questioned the compromises made during South Africa's transition to democracy and argued that De Klerk and other apartheid leaders should be held accountable for the death squads that targeted members of the liberation movement.

Previous members include Martin Luther King Jr.

, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, and Nelson Mandela.