Tutu asks De Klerk to withdraw apartheid comments

Anti-apartheid icon Desmond Tutu has added his voice to the mounting criticism against South Africa's former President FW de Klerk over his comments that apartheid was not a crime against humanity.

Last week Mr De Klerk told national broadcaster SABC that he regretted the apartheid policy but did not believe it should be labelled a crime.

The political system of apartheid governed every aspect of life in South Africa from 1948 to 1991.

In practice, apartheid enforced a racial hierarchy privileging white South Africans and under this system only they had the vote.

The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation called on Mr De Klerk to withdraw his comments, adding that those who suffered from apartheid continued to suffer today.

"It is incumbent on leaders and former leaders of the white community, in particular, to demonstrate the courage, magnanimity and compassion necessary to contribute to societal healing," a statement from the foundation said.

His comments also drew the ire of the radical left-wing party EFF, whose members called for him to be removed from parliament during the annual State of the Nation Address, held last week.

Pule Mabe, the spokesman for the governing African Nation Congress (ANC), said the party should block Mr De Klerk's future invitations to parliament.

?It is expected that our own members of parliament reflect on this and begin to say what do you do with individuals who knowingly go out and spit in the face of our people and want to deny that apartheid was a crime against humanity when an international body like the UN had already spoken"

Mr. Dr. Klerk was the last leader of the white-minority government which was replaced after the 1994 election which elected Nelson Mandela as the first black president.

He and Mr Mandela shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize for their work to end apartheid.