His hospital visit happens as his fellow Nobel peace laureate Nelson Mandela lies critically ill. De Klerk cut short a visit to Europe over the weekend because of Mandela's ailing health, only to fall ill himself.
"He will be going to hospital today [Tuesday] to have a pacemaker installed," Dave Steward told AFP. "It's a routine procedure. He will spend the night in hospital," he added.
The 77-year-old felt dizzy after his return from Europe on Sunday and saw his physician.
"The specialist recommended immediate installation of a pacemaker," said Steward.
He will receive the device, which helps the heart beat at a normal rate, in a Cape Town hospital.
De Klerk – a one-time hard-liner – dismantled white-minority rule and authorised the release of Mandela from prison in 1990, a decision that changed the course of South African history.
Sometimes-heated talks between the two and their factions in the end brought about the first all-race elections in 1994 which propelled Mandela to power.
The two men shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts. – AFP