Member of the Reformed Dutch Church, FW by Klerk, is the youngest son, Jan Klerk, the head of the school and minister with various portfolios (1954-1969) and Senate chairman (1969-1976), the nephew of JG Strijdom, the head of the South African Government 1954 until 1958. His older brother Wimpie de Klerk is a political analyst and co-founder of the Democratic Party in 1989.