Former Judge Willem Heath was commemorated in a memorial ceremony in Durbanville, Cape Town on Thursday.
The ceremony took place at the Stellenberg Dutch Reformed Church.
Heath died on Wednesday, October 9 at the age of 79.
In a tribute to his father, Marius thanked the media, the law fraternity, and all South Africans for the amazing tributes over the past few weeks.
“Being a pioneer in government’s anti-corruption architecture and being a pioneer in the early life of our democracy. Being the peoples’ judge. That is one of the most beautiful things ever bestowed upon him,” Marius said.
He said his father would have been greatly humbled by the recognition and contrary to how he may have been perceived in public, Heath was described as a very reserved and humble man.
“He had a great affection for South Africa and its Constitution,” Marius said, fighting back tears.
A colleague from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), Advocate Gerhard Wilhelm Visagie described Heath as his mentor and hero.
“He is the father of the SIU. Some would argue, but I would say the SIU is the biggest legacy the judge left on the South African landscape. He had the vision. He had the willingness to put in the effort, to create an entity that would become an additional weapon in the fight against corruption and maladministration. His idea, his vision of using the principle of the application of civil law as a weapon in fighting corruption and maladministration was very innovative,” Visagie said.
Heath’s work ethic was also described and praised as second to none.
The former judge, who was internationally recognised for his expertise in combating corruption and fraud, was born in Boksburg on January 13, 1945.
Heath studied at the University of Pretoria where he acquired two degrees: a BA in Law in 1966 and an LLB degree in 1968.
He began his career as a prosecutor before establishing his private practice as an advocate in Pretoria.
In 1995, former president Nelson Mandela appointed him to head the Heath Commission of Inquiry into maladministration and corruption in the Eastern Cape which he chaired until 1997.
After the commission, Heath headed the SIU until 2001, thereafter he established the Heath Executive Consultants, a firm offering legal advice and forensic investigations.
Heath served high-profile clients who were engaged in long political battles. Of the big names he worked with included late mining magnate, Brett Kebble.
Heath stepped in during the criminal case involving Kebble’s father, Roger, specifically targeting the involvement of the private security company Associated Intelligence Network.
He engaged the security company and its investigations led to Roger’s provisional arrest for fraud later being withdrawn.
IOL