His presidency was dominated by the negotiation process , mainly between his NP government and the ANC , which led to the democratization of South Africa . Throughout the negotiations , de Klerk primarily sought to prevent majority rule to preserve power for the white South African minority . His efforts , however , were thwarted when the Boipatong massacre caused a resurgence of international pressure against South Africa , leading to a weaker position at the negotiation tables for the National party . In 1992 , de Klerk held a whites-only referendum on ending apartheid , with the result being an overwhelming " yes " vote to continue negotiations to end apartheid . Nelson Mandela was distrustful of the role played by de Klerk in the negotiations , particularly as he believed that de Klerk was knowledgeable about ' third force ' attempts to foment violence in the country and destabilize the negotiations
Boipatong massacre
Boipatong massacre
F. W. de Klerk