F. W. de Klerk to announce shock retirement from politics?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Pretoria
  • Last updated on

Nobel Peace Prize 1993 created a stir on Friday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.

Sad news for Klerk fans. Speculation had been rife that the former president of South Africa will announce his retirement from politics, at age 89, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 10/01/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a politician isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a politician-president just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouFrederik

For a little while on Friday evening, #ThankYouFrederik was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouFrederik.”
— @DesireePlum, 9 Jan 2026
“Didn't F. W. de Klerk retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 9 Jan 2026

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