FW DE KLERK_CNN REMARKS

STATEMENT ANALYSIS PROJECT

FW DE KLERK : CNN Interview (May 2012) Explained:
The article below was copied from IAFRICA news website.


"May I remind everybody that it was me, together with the fellow leaders of the National Party, who abolished apartheid on 2 February 1990," he said in Cape Town.

"Why would I have nostalgia for that which I abolished and for that which I apologised? I don't want to get into the twisted interpretation of what I've said."

# To pose a question in an open statement indicates sensitivity at that point, suggesting that the
speaker may be concealing information.
"We know that our education system is in a crisis, we know that people are protesting in the streets about bad delivery, so we're not in a good place in the socio-economic sense of the word.

"Fortunately, we are implementing well-balanced economics, macro-economic policies and I'm not a pessimist at all," he said.

# To report something in the negative is not the norm. The norm would be, “ ...and I’m optimistic about our future, OR, ...and I’m an optimist. “ I would venture that the speaker is in fact pessimistic about the issues he referred to.
"What is wrong in South Africa can be put right and I think that it's time we all join hands, stop shouting at each other and we work together to improve things."
Asked whether he agreed that apartheid was morally repugnant, De Klerk said: "In as much as it trampled human rights it was, and remains, morally indefensible."

# The use of the prefix, “In as much as it ....” was not necessary. The speaker could have given his information in the ‘short way’ > “It trampled human rights. It was, and remains morally indefensible” The use of the unnecessary prefix suggests there are other undisclosed reasons or concealed information that may have rendered apartheid as being morally defensible to the speaker.

De Klerk then reportedly said about the homeland system: "But the concept of giving, as the Czechs have it now, and the Slovaks have it, of saying that ethnic unity with one culture with one language [everyone] can be happy and can fulfil their democratic aspirations in an own state, that is not repugnant."

He reportedly denied that blacks in the homelands were disenfranchised.

"They were not disenfranchised, they voted. They were not put in homelands, the homelands were historically there. If only the developed world would put so much money into Africa, which is struggling with poverty, as we poured into those homelands. How many universities were built? How many schools?" he asked.

# Again, posing questions in an open statement indicates sensitivity and tension at that place in
the statement. It suggests that there is undisclosed or concealed information.
"At that stage the goal was separate but equal, but separate but equal failed." He said he later became "a convert" against the system.

# The use of “At that stage..” indicates that in the speakers mind, there is a different goal in the present
time. The use of “I later became a convert against..” is a confirmer that the speaker is in agreement with
the current goal set.


FACIAL ANALYSIS
The face is well balanced and symmetrical. The subject is well used to posing for press photos, and is well at ease. However, I observe that the eye muscles work in synch with the mouth. The slight smile does not appear to be forced. The overall impression is that of an open and generally honest person.