UP mourning the loss of legal giant Heyns
Heyns was a professor of Human Rights Law at UP and was internationally recognised for his wide-reaching initiatives on human rights in Africa and beyond.
The University of Pretoria (UP) this week bid a sad farewell to Christof Heyns, a professor of human rights law who was internationally recognised for his wide-reaching initiatives on human rights in Africa and beyond.
Heyns was 62-years-old when he died on Sunday.
“He will be sorely missed, not only by his colleagues but also by the law fraternity further afield,” said UP vice-chancellor and principal Professor Tawana Kupe.
“The loss of his expertise and knowledge will leave a significant gap throughout the world.”
Kupe said the university offered their deepest condolences to his family.
Heyns was director of the institute for international and comparative law in Africa at UP’s law faculty.
“On several occasions he had served as a technical adviser on human rights to the African Union and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights,” said UP spokesperson Primarashni Gower.
He had notably served as adviser to the African Commission in developing its influential General Comment on the Right to Life, adopted by the Commission in 2015.
Heyns also directed UP’s human rights centre and was law faculty’s dean for four years.
“In 2020, he played an instrumental role in the drafting of general comment 37 of the UN human rights committee, which offers global guidance on peaceful assembly.
“To this end, he worked with colleagues and students involved in the freedom from violence project based at UP Law.”
She said that Heyns also managed the drafting of another document, called the UN Human Rights Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons.
“This was done with the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and was also released in July last year.”
Gower said these two documents summarised and restated the international law standards and UN standards on peaceful and not-so-peaceful assembly.
She said Heyns advised a number of international, regional and national entities on human rights issues.
Heyns held a BLC, LLB, BA (Hons) and MA (Philosophy) cum laude from UP and a PhD degree on the history and legal aspects of the non-violent part of the struggle against racial domination in South Africa.
He also had a Master’s of Law from Yale law school, where he was a Fulbright scholar.
Shocked beyond belief over the news of the untimely passing of colleague and long standing human rights champion, Prof Christof Heyns. Heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues. May his great soul #RIP #RIPChristofHeyns pic.twitter.com/fnjCQJOfay
— Prof Thuli Madonsela #KindnessBuilds (@ThuliMadonsela3) March 29, 2021
Shocked by the passing of Prof Heyns! I never had the privilege of meeting Prof Heyns in person, but I have followed much of his work on the African human rights system (among many other areas!) He leaves an incredible legacy that stretches far beyond his writing #RIP https://t.co/Yw07ze2BLP
— Dr Misha Plagis (@MPlagis) March 29, 2021
I am still shocked by news of the sudden passing of Prof Christof Heyns. He was the Dean that recruited me as lecturer at UP. He was a rare breed: an intellectual, an institutional builder and a visionary. Above all, he was a gentle, kind and fair man.
1/ pic.twitter.com/65ug7Q4lHQ— Tshepo Madlingozi (@TshepoMadlingo1) March 29, 2021
“His death is an incredible loss and he will be truly missed by us and so many others across the world,” said director of the Centre for Human Rights Prof Frans Viljoen.
“To us at the centre, he was a founding father, a trailblazer and a constant source of inspiration and encouragement. He was our dynamic initiator-in-chief.
“He was constantly brimming with new ideas and grand schemes, plans and projects. He propelled the centre into new directions.
“His passing is too soon and too sudden. It is such a loss. He still had so much to offer. But what a legacy this giant leaves.”
He leaves behind his wife, son Adam, his two daughters, Willemien Rust and Renée Heyns, son-in-law Arné Francois Rust, mother Renée Heyns, and his grandson.
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