Arts celebrity Ian von Memerty ends his life at hotel in Johannesburg

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Prominent South African arts figure Ian von Memerty, who ignited public debate with his controversial video series, Dying for a Better Life, has died.

Von Memerty, best known as host of popular TV programme Strictly Come Dancing and judge on SA’s Got Talent, took his own life at about 3am on February 23 at a hotel in Johannesburg.

He was 61.

The Zimbabwean-born entertainer, who lived in Gqeberha with his family, made the decision to end his own life known through a series of videos and blogs posted on his official Facebook page and on YouTube.

For those who closely followed his videos — whether they agreed with Von Memerty’s views, strongly opposed them, or simply empathised with his struggles — news of his death has come as a shock, especially as some videos were published posthumously.

Close family friend Gary Hemmings confirmed Von Memerty’s death but said his family had wanted to keep it private to allow them time to mourn.

In a statement, his family said: “We are sad to announce that our beloved Ian von Memerty passed away at the age of 61 in Johannesburg in the early hours of February 23.

“As a family we have done everything we can to love and respect him on his journey.

“We ask for privacy and respect as we deal with our own pain, having lost someone we’ve loved very much.”

In an interview with The Herald just weeks before, Von Memerty described his decision as an act of “self‑deliverance" — one he said was carefully considered and deeply questioned.

He said at the time that he chose to document his journey publicly both to raise awareness and to provide clarity that the decision was not driven by depression.

Von Memerty framed his choice as rooted in choosing power rather than despair.

He also drew up a personal “contract”, which he said had helped him remain focused on the decision.

He further cited extreme financial stress, the realities of ageing, and the emotional toll of witnessing his parents’ prolonged and painful deaths as central to his reasoning.

Von Memerty had spoken to The Herald from Croatia, where he decided to take a holiday before following through with his plan.

He later flew back to SA to end his life.

He said his choice had been shaped by 18 months of research and reflection.

Though he acknowledged some might label it suicide, he vehemently disagreed, saying the term self‑deliverance better reflected preparation, agency and the ability to offer closure.

Born on July 4 1964, Von Memerty was a South African theatre director, performer, writer, producer and television presenter.

He was widely recognised for his versatility across stage and screen and for his contribution to popular and commercial theatre in SA.

Over the course of his career, he received 15 national theatre awards and a further 17 nominations for his work as a performer, director and writer, despite having no formal tertiary qualification.

In theatre, his most significant work was the long-running two-piano production, A Handful of Keys.

Later in life, he became involved in public advocacy around end-of-life autonomy.

He also hosted 72 episodes of Muziek a la Carte, a TV series that featured SA performers from a broad range of artistic and social backgrounds.

The two-piano revue A Handful of Keys, co-conceived and written by him, ran for more than 1,500 performances and was seen by audiences exceeding 500,000 people, making it one of the longest-running and most commercially successful SA theatre productions of its time.

His versatility made him a frequent contributor to compilation and revue-style productions, as well as directing and writing credits including major stage and televised productions.

His final professional work was as a guest artist aboard cruise ships.

Von Memerty was married to Viv from 1991 until 2025.

They had three children and later relocated to a small cottage outside Gqeberha, a period he described as deeply fulfilling, before the family eventually dispersed internationally.

Their two eldest children, Valeksa and Oscar, were diagnosed with mucopolysaccharidosis type VI, also known as Maroteaux–Lamy syndrome, a rare inherited lysosomal storage disorder.

The condition, resulting in the accumulation of complex sugars in cells and tissues, is progressive and lifelong, commonly affecting skeletal development, joints, respiratory function and internal organs.

Von Memerty and his family were involved in long-term efforts to secure access to treatment and support for their children, drawing public attention to the challenges faced by families affected by rare genetic diseases.

Valeksa died in 1998 after complications from a bone marrow transplant.

Oscar rejected his first transplant and suffered a 10-minute heart stoppage during his second bone marrow transplant, but today leads an active and independent life.