Meyiwa trial in turmoil again as judge sparks outrage — 'He must go'
Last week, after Judge Mokgoatlheng made a series of inappropriate remarks — first berating a defence lawyer for requesting time off to run the Comrades Marathon, then launching into a monologue about black lawyers, race relations, and his political history.
The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial — already marred by controversy — has entered another crisis, with growing calls for presiding Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng to recuse himself following racially charged courtroom comments and political outbursts.
Over the past decade, the case has come to symbolise dysfunction in South Africa's justice system. It has featured the arrest and public humiliation of Advocate Malesela Teffo, courtroom chaos, and persistent speculation around singer Kelly Khumalo's alleged involvement in Meyiwa's killing.
Now, it faces what could be its most serious credibility blow yet: a presiding judge accused of losing impartiality. Last week, after Judge Mokgoatlheng made a series of inappropriate remarks — first berating a defence lawyer for requesting time off to run the Comrades Marathon, then launching into a monologue about black lawyers, race relations, and his political history.
He also made unsolicited comments about President Cyril Ramaphosa, calling him his 'junior' and referencing shared links to the ANC and Azapo. The remarks triggered outrage both inside and outside the courtroom, with many calling them inappropriate, irrelevant, and undignified. In response, the judge issued a lengthy apology on Monday.
'If you believe that I, as a judge, am so useless, dumb, and you think you can't get a fair trial from me, please tell me, I will recuse myself,' he told lawyers in court. 'I don't want to impose myself on people who doubt my integrity, honour and dignity.'
He went on to insist that he is not racist, citing his presence at the historic 1955 Congress of the People in Kliptown alongside his father. 'If I trampled on anybody's toes because of my racism... I wish to apologise for being a racist,' he said. 'But I can tell you, it's not a conscious thing about me to be a racist.'
Despite his apology, public confidence is waning fast.'This judge has clearly lost the plot,' said criminal law expert Advocate Thembeka Radebe.
'It's no longer about Senzo Meyiwa. It's about Judge Mokgoatlheng, and that's a complete derailment of justice. He must go.'
If Mokgoatlheng does recuse himself — or is removed — the trial would need to start from scratch for a third time.
That means a new judge, re-hearing all witness testimonies, and likely several more years before a verdict is reached.
For the Meyiwa family, already exhausted by nearly 10 years of legal delays, this would be yet another devastating blow. The murder of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa in 2014 shook the nation. What was expected to be a clear-cut trial has instead turned into a saga of dysfunction, scandal, and spectacle.
Many legal analysts now warn that unless urgent corrective steps are taken — starting with the judge stepping down — the public may permanently lose faith in the justice system.'The trial has become a circus,' said Radebe.
'And justice is nowhere in sight.'
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