(Julian
von Klemperer)
(Article by Estelle Sinkins, courtesy of
The Witness)
The sudden death of lawyer Julian von
Klemperer (71) on Tuesday night (January 9, 2018) has been described as a
“great loss” to the legal profession of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal and
South Africa.
“His death has been a terrible shock,” said
his wife Margaret, former arts editor of The Witness who is being comforted by
her daughter, Judy, and son, Christopher, who flew from the Western Cape to be
with his mother.
“We are all devastated and are going to
miss him terribly.”
Born in Durban in 1946, Von Klemperer
attended Cowan House Preparatory School and then Michaelhouse, where he
matriculated at the age of 16.
He did his BA in 1965 and his LLB in 1968
at the then University of Natal (now University of KwaZulu-Natal).
Articled in Pietermaritzburg, he was
admitted as an attorney in 1969.
After a stint in the army, he went to the
United Kingdom where he spent two years working for Theodore Goddard and
Company.
After meeting and marrying Margaret, the
couple set up home in Pietermaritzburg, where Von Klemperer started his
practice — Von Klemperer, Davis and Harrison Incorporated — in 1980.
The firm was involved in numerous human
rights cases, acting for the ANC in terrorism trials and representing Cosatu in
various cases, including interdict applications against the police in the
eighties.
He was also a regular visitor to United
Democratic Front detainees during the states of emergency.
In 2012 his firm amalgamated with Shepstone
& Wylie and he continued to practice as an executive consultant appearing
regularly in the high court in Pietermaritzburg.
In a statement, Shepstone & Wylie said:
“He was a well-known attorney throughout KZN, trusted and loved by his many
clients.
“He was also deeply respected by his peers
and colleagues in the profession and in the judiciary.
“His common sense and practical approach to
law, coupled with his dry sense of humour and old-world manners, endeared him
to all who dealt with him.
“He will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and
prayers are with the Von Klemperer family.”
Von Klemperer was president of the Natal
Law Society from 1997 to 1999, co-chairperson of the Law Society of South
Africa from 1999 to 2000 with the late Judge Jake Moloi, and a member of the
Judicial Service Commission from 2003 to 2009.
While president of the Natal Law Society,
he attended the Truth and Reconciliation hearings on the administration of
justice in South Africa between 1960 and 1994.
In an article in The Witness in October
1997 he said the Society had a duty to participate and to accept that the
profession didn’t do enough for the people of the country.
Current president of the KwaZulu-Natal Law
Society Asif Essa said Von Klemperer had made an immense contribution to the
profession.
“He was a seasoned litigator and a senior
member of the profession, who participated in the affairs of the profession
right up to his untimely demise.”
Lawyer Petrus Coetzee, director of Mason
Incorporated who has known Von Klemperer since 1983, described him as a “true
gentleman”.
He said: “I saw Julian last Thursday at the
high court. We greeted each other and had a chat and I asked him when he was
going to retire. He said he probably wouldn’t as the law was his life. His
death is a great loss to the entire legal profession.”
Another friend, Ant Jenkins, from AG
Jenkins Attorneys, said it was thanks to lawyers like Von Klemperer, to whom he
was articled in the 1980s, that he gained a thorough grounding in the practice
of law.
“Julian was a highly intelligent and
extremely thorough lawyer who excelled, in particular, in high court
litigation,” he said.
“I have often commented that had attorneys
been able to be appointed to the bench when he was at the height of his career,
he would have made a fine and highly respected judge of the high court.”
Von Klemperer was The Witness’ legal
adviser for many years. Friend and former editor of the paper John Conyngham
said: “Not only was he a respected member of the legal fraternity, but also an
intelligent and humane member of the Pietermaritzburg community whose presence
will be missed.”
Away from the courtroom, Von Klemperer was
an avid horse rider who in his teens and early twenties represented Natal at
showjumping.
“He and I always rode together,” said
daughter Judy. “He tried to ride twice a week and more if he could get a day
off from work.”
Von Klemperer leaves Margaret, Judy, who
lives in Durban with her partner Hilary, and son Christopher, who is based in
Cape Town with wife Emma, and grandchildren James and Sam.
Close friend of the family, Durban actress
and writer Caroline Smart, said she was “shattered” by the news.
“Julian and Margaret have been long-time
friends,” she added. “My heart goes out to Margaret and the family for their
loss.”
The funeral will take place on Tuesday
(January 16, 2018) at 14h00 in the Michaelhouse Chapel at Michaelhouse in
Balgowan. – Estelle Sinkins
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