Deputy national director of public prosecutions Rodney de Kock — the first black South African to be appointed an attorney general — has died less than a month after being diagnosed with brain cancer.
In a statement, his family said De Kock, who had just turned 64, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in early December and suffered a rapid decline in health. He died at Johannesburg’s Morningside Mediclinic on Monday, surrounded by family and friends.
De Kock was a founding member of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers established in 1987 under the leadership of Dullah Omar, who later became South Africa’s justice minister, and Pius Langa, who would go on to be appointed South Africa’s first black chief justice.
De Kock became attorney general of the Western Cape in 1999 and joined the National Prosecuting Authority as director of public prosecutions for the province in 2003. President Cyril Ramaphosa elevated him to deputy national director of public prosecutions in 2020.
“After a luminary career, marked by an uncompromising dedication to justice, the democratic order, and to his fellow citizens, his family and friends take great solace in knowing that Rodney served his country with unblemished integrity, dedication, honesty and humility,” his family said.
The National Prosecuting Authority hailed De Kock for his passion for justice and the rule of law and highlighted how he led law-enforcement agencies on the Financial Action Task Force, focusing South Africa’s efforts to exit its greylisting by the intergovernmental organisation that sets standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
“This (death) is a huge loss for the NPA and the country. He was a solid lawyer, a gentleman and a true warrior for justice. He will be sorely missed,” the organisation’s head Shamila Batohi said.