[1][2][3] He was the son of Alexander Hepple (1904–1983), who was Leader of the South African Labour Party, and Josephine Zwarenstein (1906–1992) a Dutch Jew.
He was active as a student leader against racial segregation in the universities, worked as an adviser and assistant in the South African Congress of Trade Unions, and participated in the underground struggle against apartheid.
He acted as legal adviser to Nelson Mandela in his trial for incitement in 1962, and was arrested at Liliesleaf Farm, Rivonia, with leaders of the African National Congress and Communist Party on 11 July 1963.
[5] "Hepple was also one of the original Rivonia Trial accused",[6] "he was discharged on 30 October 1963",[6] and managed to escape to England in November 1963.
He became Professor of Social and Labour Law in the University of Kent at Canterbury (1976) and a chairman of Industrial Tribunals (full-time 1977–82, part-time 1974–77, 1982–1993).
[9] In 2014 he received the South African Order of Luthuli (Gold) for his exceptional contribution to the struggle for democracy and human rights.