Parliament, Thursday, 5 June 2025 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Xola Nqola, has note with grave concern the “unfortunate” remarks by Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng in the Senzo Meyiwa trail.
Mr Nqola said the comments border on racism. “We want to strongly condemn these totally unacceptable utterances. The incompetence or behaviour of legal practitioners has nothing to do with race, as he has alluded to in court. The remarks are extremely unfortunately and a gross generalisation.”
The judge was referring to the message – sent to his registrar – indicating the absence of the legal representative of two of the accused in court on Monday, 9 June 2025, as he would be running the Comrades Marathon on Sunday and would only drive back to Gauteng the following day. Judge Mokgoatlheng then went on to say “this is South Africa run by blacks... I don’t think a white advocate would have had the gall to ask me that...”
Mr Nqola said: “Whilst we understand the frustration of the judge, families and accused with the duration of the trail, it is totally unacceptable to imply black legal professionals act unprofessionally compared to their white counterparts. We urge him to refrain from such gross generalisations.
“Furthermore, we demand that Judge Mokgoatlheng withdraws his comments and apologise to the nation,” said the Chairperson.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MR XOLA NQOLA.
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