Meyiwa trial judge issues apology for racial remarks

THE presiding judge in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Ratha Mokgoatlheng, offered a long apology yesterday following his court outburst last week in which he made several remarks with racial undertones.

- NICOLA DANIELS

Last week, Mokgoatlheng expressed outrage in court after learning that defence advocate Charles Mnisi had written to his registrar, requesting to be excused from proceedings yesterday as he would be participating in the Comrades Marathon. The marathon took place on Sunday.

“This is what happens in a South Africa run by blacks. I can tell you now, even if you call Uncle Tom, I don't think a white advocate will ever have the gall to ask me that. Never,” he said.

The Black Lawyers Association (BLA) did not take the comments lightly, calling out Mokgoatlheng for launching “an extremely unfortunate attack on black lawyers”.

In a statement yesterday, they called for the judge to withdraw his comments within seven days, threatening further action if he failed to do so.

“What the judge might not be aware of is that the attacks on black lawyers are not only distasteful but threaten our economic survival as law is our business.