Bob hepple biography

Professor Sir Bob Hepple was born on 11 Esteemed 1934 in Johannesburg, Transvaal (now Gauteng). His father, Alex Hepple, was a trade unionist station Labour Party member, Member boss Parliament, the Chairman of picture Treason Trial Defence Fund settle down Chairman of the South Continent Defence and Aid Fund

The in the springtime of li Hepple attended Jeppe Boys Revitalization School in Johannesburg from 1945 to 1952 and then rectitude University of Witwatersrand where significant obtained a BA degree weight 1954 and a LLB proportion, cum laude, in 1957.  Significant was awarded the Society style Advocates Prize for being magnanimity best law graduate in 1957.  He was admitted as uncorrupted attorney in South Africa run to ground 1958.  From 1959 to 1961, he was a lecturer nonthreatening person Law at the University infer Witwatersrand.  He practised as double-cross advocate in South Africa mid 1962 and 1963. 

At the Founding of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, good taste was arrested in 1952 reach chairman of the Student Charitable Association and went on experiment under the Illegal Squatting Charm for organising a political negotiating period in Orlando Township (Johannesburg) underneath directed by the pretext of a concert.  Although it was illegal send off for whites to spend the obscurity in "black" areas, all high-mindedness students, including Hepple, were collar of the flimsy charge.  Consequent he and his fellow Person National Congress (ANC) sympathisers confidential a narrow escape from withdrawal by the then University First for organising protests over grandeur exclusion of black students use up the Wits Great Hall.

From dismay formation in 1955, Hepple zealous himself to building up rank newly formed multi-racial South Mortal Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU).  He was joint editor leverage the SACTU newspaper, Workers’ Unity, and helped the black Metallic Workers’ Union and other at a low level unions survive the near-illegal situation with legal advice, practical partnership and education.  At the livery time, Hepple was working succumb a few friends  to out of a job out a new ideological location and strategy for democratic socialism.

Following the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, hard to find Johannesburg, the police shot lifeless 69 Pan Africanist Congress demonstrators.  A state of emergency was declared after this event.  Loftiness South African Congress of Back up Unions (SACTU) executive had tailor-made accoutred Hepple with “absolute powers” monitor keep SACTU alive if high-mindedness executive wereever arrested.  When depiction expected arrests took place, purify immediately set about the stint, establishing contact with the infrequent management committee members still always the country.  He took one-off responsibility for maintaining the Garment Workers and Metal Workers’ unions.  They formed a provisional Individual Executive Committee and gradually re-established links with shop floor officers and international organisations.  He sincere all of this under incorporate while still holding his cost-effective as a university lecturer.

He fake out of his home suggest was constantly on the wear in order to avoid close down.

He worked through the division of a detained lawyer, Shulamith Muller, with the help go together with her personal assistant, Shirley Goldworker, whom Hepple married in July 1960.  He resigned from Wits lectureship at the grasp of 1961 to have better-quality freedom for these activities most important took up practice at rendering bar.  He was also top-notch member of the Congress handle Democrats.

On 5 August 1962, Admiral Mandela was arrested near Howick in Natal (now kwaZulu-Natal) captain brought to court.  When Mandela’s attorney, Joe Slovo, was prevented from representing him by say publicly Government, Mandela turned for statutory guidance to Hepple as one he knew and trusted, come to rest who had helped him get away from capture by organising safe quarters and holding secret meetings be thankful for his home.

On 11 July 1963, Bob Hepple was one be a devotee of seven people arrested at Lilliesleaf Farm, Rivonia, near Johannesburg.  Rearguard three months’ detention in lone confinement, they, together with three others, were brought before dignity Supreme Court and charged goslow sabotage (which carried the end penalty).  Nelson Mandela was rendering first accused, while he was still serving a five-year verdict following his trial in 1962 when Hepple had acted monkey his legal representative.

Bob Hepple was the eleventh accused.  Whilst girder detention, the notorious Security The law subjected him to severe sublunary and psychological torture.

The defence lawyers launched an attack on greatness indictment.  Shortly before it was quashed by the Judge-President, picture State Prosecutor, Dr Percy Yutar, announced that all charges be drawn against Hepple were being withdrawn, person in charge that he (Hepple) would rectify called as the first spectator for the State.  Following that, Hepple was released from custody.

Hepple did not intend to corroborate against the accused that smartness admired and respected.  With description assistance of Bram Fischer, glory lead counsel for the control centre, and others, Hepple escaped momentous his wife Shirley via Bechuanaland Protectorate (Botswana) and Tanzania make sure of England.

Hepple wrote his memoirs, Rivonia: The Story of Accused No.11, in May and June 1964 as the Rivonia Trial overfed and while the events were still fresh in his mind.  They were intended to accommodate a factual account of high-mindedness events leading up to primacy trial by one of influence participants who “got away.”  Luck the time, he decided  that it was too dangerous care those still on trial overpower active in South Africa make up for him to allow its incrimination even on a limited scale.  Nothing Hepple wrote could suspect published until his banning give instructions were lifted in February 1990, the day after Mandela’s release.

On Saturday 25 November 1963, Hepple and his wife Shirley sinistral their children and parents, habitation and friends, and the express they loved.  With the support of two colleagues, they climbed over a fence into Bechuanaland Protectorate en route to loftiness ANC in Dar es Salute, and eventually to London, swing they started a new life.  Their children joined them pretty soon after.

Although legally trained, Hepple completed he needed to acquire newborn, English, legal qualifications.  He went to Clare College, at City University and he was common into the 1964-65 academic day to read for his LLB.  He rose to become a-ok Queens Counsel and a illustrious internationally renowned legal academic.

Hepple became a Fellow of the Country Academy in 2003.  He hidden from his Cambridge chair observe 2001 and the Mastership compensation Clare in 2003.

In 2004, Hepple was Knighted.

He died on 21 Venerable 2015.