Former South African president's wife murdered

The wife of former South Africa president F W De Klerk has been murdered.

An autopsy on Marike De Klerk revealed that she had been strangled to death.

Ms De Klerk's body was discovered at her Cape Town home about 30 hours after coroners estimated she had died.

The autopsy also revealed that she had a shallow stab wound in her back, police spokesman Wikus Holtzhauzen said.

"The stab wound was not the cause of death," he said.

Ms De Klerk's body was found when her hairdresser became concerned that she had missed an appointment and went to her apartment to look for her.

When Ms De Klerk did not answer her door, the hairdresser summoned neighbourhood security guards who found the body.

Nothing was missing from Ms De Klerk's house and the motive for her killing was unknown, Holtzhauzen said.

De Klerk and FW De Klerk divorced in 1998 after 39 years of marriage after he announced he was in love with Elita Giorgiades, the former wife of Greek shipping magnate Tony Giorgiades.

As her husband rose through the ranks of the ruling National Party during apartheid, De Klerk too was politically active, eventually leading the party's women's organization.

FW De Klerk gave up power to Nelson Mandela after South Africa's first all-race elections in 1994.

President Thabo Mbeki expressed his condolences in a statement and described de Klerk as a "strong, charming and dignified woman."