de Klerk did indeed dismantle the essential part of apartheid when he authorized an election to be held with universal suffrage, allowing blacks to vote for the first time. He also issued an apology which said "It was not our intention to deprive people of their rights and to cause misery, but eventually apartheid led to just that. Insofar as to what occurred we deeply regret it... Yes, we are sorry." Although many thought the statement didn't go far enough, Desmond Tutu encouraged everyone to accept de Klerk's apology.