Hansie Cronje’s lawyer Clem Druker. Photo: ESPN
Western Province and South African cricket mourns the loss of Clem Druker, first president of the unified Western Province Cricket Association, who passed away at the Kingsbury Hospital on 16 June at the age of 78 years after a long struggle against illness.
WPCA President, Beresford Williams, paid tribute to Druker as an architect of cricket unity.
He said, “He and fellow advocate, Percy Sonn, initially rotated the presidency and were responsible for steering the Association through the first six challenging years after unity in June 1991.
The stability of Western Province cricket today is largely the result of the balanced leadership provided then.”
Druker was born in Luderitz Bay Namibia on 28 September 1935.
He went to school at SACS and studied at UCT. He was for 20 years a partner at CK Friedlander, Kleinman and Shandling before opening his own practice in 1981.
As an entertainment lawyer, he regularly attended the Cannes Film Festival. He served on the Council of the Cape Town Law Society until last year.
His achievements include a Masters of Public Administration degree and he took pride in the articles he wrote for law journals.
He was also one-time President of the Cape Town Progressive Jewish Congregation and an associate member of the MCC.
As a budding cricket administrator, Clem Druker arranged the first night cricket match in Cape Town at the Green Point Stadium in the late 1970s.
The former whites-only WPCU built on this to initiate night cricket in the 1980s. He was also proud of his role in forming one of the first mixed clubs under the old Union, namely VOB Cavaliers.
A fortnight ago, Druker was one of seven recipients of the WPCA President’s Award for his lifelong contribution to cricket.
CEO Andre Odendaal said Clem was delighted to receive the award in his hospital bed, and he will be remembered for his politeness, meticulous manner and his excellent public speaking, often peppered with Shakespeare quotes to the mild bemusement of cricket audiences”.
He is survived by his wife, June, and children Jeremy, Evan and Belinda, sons-in-law Gavin and Tim and grandchildren Adam and Amy.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday 20 June at Temple Israel, Wynberg at 11am and prayers on Thursday the 20th and Sunday 23rd at 6pm at 9 Highwick Drive Kenilworth.
Williams said, “Our condolences go out to June and the family and we thank them for allowing him to play that big role in the game”.
