Roelf Meyer was intimately involved in negotiating the settlement of the South African problem from 1989 to 1994, first as Deputy Minister of Constitutional Affairs and thereafter as Minister in which capacity he served as the Government`s Chief Negotiator.

It was in this capacity that he negotiated the end of apartheid, together with Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC`s Chief Negotiator. After 21 years, he resigned from active politics at the end of January 2000. He is currently holder of the Tip O`Neill Chair in peace studies at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland.