JUDGE Ratha Mokgoatlheng has apologised and withdrawn the comments he made in court about black lawyers on Wednesday, 20 March.
During the Senzo Meyiwa trial in the North Gauteng High Court on Friday morning, 22 March Mokgoatlheng admitted that his comments were offensive.
“I admit that my comments could be interpreted as intemperate, ill-advice, ill-considered or offensive, and if that is the perception of the accused and the representatives and persons outside in the public, then I want to state that unreservedly, without any conditions, withdraw the comments which I made in that on that afternoon because of the events that played out here and also if I caused any offense to any person or organisation, I also unreservedly apologise,” read the statement.
He also apologised to Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, and President of the Gauteng High Court in Joburg and Pretoria, Judge President Dunstan Mlambo. This after Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu failed to show up in court on Wednesday. The visibly upset Mokgoatlheng had questioned the behaviour of some of the black lawyers.
“Is this how lawyers, black lawyers, maybe we should just tell the truth how they behave, some of them,” he said.
There were complaints by the Black Lawyers Association (BLA). The association further requested a meeting with Judge Mokgoatlheng following his comments about black lawyers.
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BLA's Nkosana Mvundlela said it was unfortunate that lawyers get judged by the colour of their skin.
“It has a racial undertone to suggest that when a lawyer in court conducts himself in a manner that may be regarded as unethical, then that behaviour is attached to race. Our point is that all lawyers are taught ethics across the board in universities and all the other institutions that are there as preparatory schools for lawyers, and all those lawyers come out and practice post-admission, having taken an oath to respect the decorum of court and to respect the court,” he said.
“You come out and say that a person is behaving this way, a black person is behaving that way should we laugh about it? What does that area of unethical conduct have anything to do with that lawyer being black?”
Meanwhile, Chupye Matlou, who works as an investigator for the Road Traffic Management Corporation, will on Friday, 22 March, give his testimony in the Meyiwa trial.
Five men are behind bars for the alleged murder of Meyiwa in October 2014 at the family house of his then-girlfriend Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus.
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