Durban cleric laid to rest

WELL-KNOWN and popular Durban cleric, The Rev Canon Rod van Zuylen, was laid to rest at St James Anglican Church, Morningside, on Wednesday, 16 January, where he was rector for 24 years, thus bringing to a close 50 years of faithful and dedicated ministry as a priest.

Rev van Zuylen died peacefully on 19 December 2018 after a long period of ill health.

Van Zuylen was born in Cape Town on 23 March 1943 and completed his schooling at Rondebosch Boys’ High School. He went on to study at Rhodes University and then St Paul’s Theological College in Grahamstown. He did his National Service in the SA Navy in 1962, and it was during that time that he felt called to offer himself for the priesthood. He believed he was called to be a peacemaker and a reconciler.

He started his ministry in St John, Bellville South, where he worked among the poor and displaced people on the Cape Flats. He campaigned tirelessly for amenities such as roads, refuse removal, toilets, electricity and running water to be brought to the area. He became a person of interest to the then Bureau of State Security and was harassed and interrogated by the then Special Branch. He was also Chaplain at Groote Schuur Hospital, University of the Western Cape and Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison.

He married Lynne in 1968 and the couple had two daughters, Claire and Amy.

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In 1972 he was made Rector of St James, Dundee. Again, his work in race relations was being monitored by the then Special Branch. On 17 June 1976, the day after the Soweto uprisings, it was Lynne and Leah Tutu, wife of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who were questioned by the then Special Branch. They had started the first rural branch of the Domestic Workers and Employers project (DWEP).

From 1977 to 1991 he was Rector of St Cyprian’s Church in Umbilo Road, Congella. He was also on the Board of the Durban Hospice for Women (in need of care) and Chaplain at Howard College, University of KZN.

From 1991 until his retirement in 2009 he was Rector of St James, Morningside and the Archdeacon of Durban. He served on many boards and commissions. His particular interests were fostering and developing gifts and ministries of lay people, all forms of education, ecumenical and inter-faith contact. His having promoted the work of St John Ambulance Service throughout his ministry, he started a St John Brigade at Msindisi, Cato Crest, for the unemployed to equip them with some skills like first aid, child care and home based care to better help them find employment and to use those skills in the community.

In retirement he served as Chairman of the Management Committee of the St John Centre in Durban where they run an eye clinic and courses for community nurses. In 2013 he was honoured by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who made him a Knight of the Order of St John for “Service to Humanity”.

Rod and Lynne celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July last year. A month later they received the news of their daughter, Claire’s, untimely and unexpected death in Johannesburg.

Rev van Zuylen is survived by his wife, Lynne, daughter Amy and grandsons Guy and James.

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