Wilhelm Verwoerd navigates one of South Africa’s most controversial family legacies as the grandson of Hendrik Verwoerd, who is often referred to as the ‘Architect of Apartheid’. Wilhelm has dedicated his life to reconciliation, social justice and transforming his inherited legacy in post-apartheid South Africa. He spoke to SMF News about his journey as a prominent figure in healing, equality and his deep commitment to addressing the injustices of the past.
Wilhelm Verwoerd, grandson of Hendrik Verwoerd holds his book, Verwoerd: My Journey through Family Betrayals, that he published in 2019. PHOTO: Iva Fulepu
Walking into Wilhelm Verwoerd’s office located at the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest (AVReQ) at Stellenbosch University (SU), one might be struck, not by the complex history his last name bears, but by Wilhelm’s effortless charm and genuine warmth.
Wilhelm Verwoerd, the grandson of Hendrik Verwoerd, is no stranger to South Africa’s socio-political landscape. He grew up during the apartheid era in South Africa “in a very Afrikaans world”, he says.
He lived in a very white world, was surrounded by Afrikaans people, went to Afrikaans schools and church, and his entire social life was white and Afrikaans. The only time he was exposed to black South Africans was through unequal power dynamics: “Somebody who might be working in the house, or working in the garden. Or somebody who might be on the receiving end of some charity action,” says Wilhelm.
In his book Verwoerd: My Journey through Family Betrayals, Wilhelm Verwoerd reflects on his personal struggles and revelations, exploring how his grandfather Hendrik Verwoerd’s legacy influenced his role in post-apartheid South Africa. PHOTO: Iva Fulepu
Questioning the foundations of a political system
Wilhelm was in his mid-20s when he started questioning the apartheid system. Before then, he was not asking the important questions, he says.
“My first real confrontation was the black experience. Or let’s say, the experience of people who had such a different lived experience to my lived experience. And who were still angry and dealing with all these injustices,” says Wilhelm.
He says it was people like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela who invited him to join them in the fight against the system instead of running away from the colour of his skin and his family.
“‘[They said] take responsibility, but do it with us’. And that’s been the guiding theme of my life, I suppose, in the last 40 years,” says Wilhelm.
The conflict between hope and despair in South Africa
Wilhem was ostracised by some members of his family, who felt that his political opinions were betraying the family legacy.
“And so when I started to criticise my grandfather in public – when I joined the ANC – when I
became involved with the Truth Reconciliation Committee, they felt, my father in particular, but also members of my family, felt that I was a traitor and that I shamed the family. And so there was then a breakdown in my relationship with my father in particular,” says Wilhelm.
In conversations with his father, Wilhelm says that it is evident that he still holds on to outdated beliefs about apartheid and separate development, expressing anger and disillusion with the current state of South Africa.
“I look at my father, who basically still believes in apartheid. In ‘separate development’ is the language we or he would use,” says Wilhem.
He says that his father and others in his circle are profoundly pessimistic and say that South Africa is going into decline. They call Wilhelm’s optimistic attitude about the country’s future naive and misplaced.
Wilhelm Verwoerd currently works at the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest, located in the GG Cillie building at Stellenbosch University. PHOTO: Iva Fulepu
Relationships and conversations across the divide
Amidst the disillusionment, is Wilhelm’s colleague, Ayanda Nyoka, a black woman who works as a senior research coordinator at the AVReQ. Ayanda reflects on her relationship with Wilhelm. She says she and Wilhelm work together in SU, where they facilitate healing journeys around the restitution statement, which recognizes the undeniable link between past, present, and future generations.
“We’re more than colleagues in the sense […] that we are both drawn to the work
around racial healing as part of our own personal journeys as well,” says Ayanda.
“But just remembering my first encounter with him, being so in awe of just his humble posture […] we’re so used to white men taking up space, they want to be the centre of it. But he said I am here to listen, I am here to sense,” she adds.
Dr Anell Stacey Daries, Wilhelm’s colleague in the ongoing transformation work, offers a distinct perspective to the dialogue. Having worked alongside him, her insights reflect both the personal and political sacrifices inherent in reconciliation efforts.
According to Daries, Verwoerd’s work transcends personal political change; it involves deep personal sacrifice.
Through the lens of Anell, Wilhelm Verwoerd’s work can be seen as a complex process of sacrifice, engagement, and continuous learning. Her insights reveal not only the personal costs but also the transformative potential of his journey toward reconciliation.
What would Hendrik Verwoerd say now?
When asked about what his grandfather would think about modern-day South Africa, Wilhelm says he would like to believe that his grandfather would not have remained as blind and unaware as he was when he was assassinated during his reign as the prime minister of apartheid South Africa.
He says that had his grandfather seen and experienced what he has, he might have eventually changed his mind.
“If that is the case, then I think he would realise that there’s a lot of work we still need to
do to address the evil and the violence of apartheid,” says Wilhelm.
However, Wilhelm says if Verwoerd were the same person today that he was when he was assassinated, then he would not be very happy with what is happening in South Africa. He might join other white Afrikaners in Orania, who believe they cannot integrate within a predominantly black South Africa and instead seek a separate piece of land to preserve their culture and identity, he says.
“But I still would like to think people can change. I mean, I changed. In his case I’m not sure because he was so ideological and so arrogant in his confidence that he was right. But miracles can happen,” he says.
Towards reconciliation
Wilhelm published an autobiographical reflection book in 2019, titled Verwoerd: My Journey Through Family Betrayals. In his book, Verwoerd discusses difficult issues, such as his complex family legacy.
Wilhelm says the main inspiration towards his work in social justice and reconciliation has been “meeting people who have been on the receiving end of apartheid”.
“For 40 years, I’ve been exposed to the painful realities of what my family and community and church and racial group are responsible for.”
Currently, Wilhelm is involved with SU’s implementation of the restitution statement, where he is working with his colleague, Ayanda, amongst others. He says it is similar to the continuation of the TRC that he worked at after apartheid was abolished.
Wilhelm admits that without the support and understanding of colleagues like Ayanda and Anell, navigating the emotional and psychological weight of such a complex historical legacy would feel overwhelming. Their relationships provide not only professional collaboration but also a shared space for healing and resilience, essential for carrying forward this important work.