Cape Town — Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng has apologised and withdrawn the comments he made regarding black lawyers, after the Black Lawyers Association requested a meeting with him.
When the court proceedings continued on Friday in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, Mokgoatlheng apologised immediately for his insensitive comments, The Citizen reported.
“On Wednesday I made certain comments or utterances arising from the conduct of this trial. Subsequently, because of the news I came to know that the Black Lawyers Association is apparently saying that it wants to arrange a meeting with me,” he said.
“I don’t have a problem with that, but the law precludes me from meeting the Black Lawyers Association because they want to have a meeting with me regarding my presiding in a case which is continuing, and they are not parties to that case.”
“But me, on reflection, and after some thoughts I admit that my comments could be interpreted as ill advised, ill considered and offensive. If that is the perception of the accused and their representatives and the public, I want to state that I unreservedly, without any conditions, withdraw the comments I made on Wednesday afternoon.”
[WATCH] #SenzoMeyiwaTrial: Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng apologises and withdraws the comments he made in court about black lawyers on Wednesday.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/eIotCPxcV4
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) March 22, 2024
During the court proceedings on Wednesday, Mokgoatlheng was visibly upset that advocate Thulani Mngomezulu failed to show up to court for the third day in a row, questioning why he was not informed of his absence beforehand.
“Is this how black lawyers behave, some of them? How can you tell a judge you are unable to proceed today because you said the two witnesses were short witnesses?” he asked
Mngomezulu apologised for his actions, saying he had to take another matter on an urgent basis because he had not received payment for representing Sibiya for the past five months.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
