logo
Reprimanded Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng apologises for outburst

Reprimanded Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng apologises for outburst

TimesLIVEa day ago

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng has issued a public apology after a courtroom outburst at a lawyer which some deemed racist.
Mokgoatlheng was furious last week when defence advocate Charles Mnisi asked to be excused from court on Monday to accommodate his travel plans for the Comrades Marathon. 'I don't think a white advocate can have the gall to ask me that,' the judge said.
Mnisi, who ran and completed the ultra-marathon on Sunday, was absent from court on Monday. Attorney Sipho Ramosepele stood in for him.
Addressing the court on Monday, a remorseful judge said he regretted his remarks.
'I have never behaved the way I did' in his 26 years as a judge and 30 years as an attorney.
He said the judge president and deputy judge president had spoken to him and the JP had rightfully reprimanded him.
'I agree, my conduct was questionable and incorrect.'
Mokgoatlheng also shared that his wife urged him to apologise publicly, saying his actions were worse than those of lawyers accused of stealing money from Road Accident Fund clients.
'She told me I should apologise to the whole of South Africa,' he said.
He mentioned his late son, an advocate who died of cancer, saying his son would have been disappointed in his conduct.
'I apologise to the accused, the lawyers, the public, the judges, magistrates, students, religious leaders — to everyone in South Africa who felt hurt or insulted by my actions,' he said.
Responding to claims that he was a racist, Mokgoatlheng said he found this to be hurtful and untrue.
He spoke about his upbringing in a politically active household, where leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu would often visit. He also listed several respected South Africans who know him personally. 'If people say I'm a racist, maybe I'm not aware of that, but I apologise.'
The judge invited the accused in court who believed they could not get a fair trial from him to say so. 'If you think I am not fit to be your judge, please tell me and I'll recuse myself.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ramaphosa names 31 'eminent people' to champion national dialogue
Ramaphosa names 31 'eminent people' to champion national dialogue

TimesLIVE

timean hour ago

  • TimesLIVE

Ramaphosa names 31 'eminent people' to champion national dialogue

President Cyril Ramaphosa will be calling a national convention on August 15, which will set the agenda for the national dialogue. Ramaphosa also announced the appointment of an eminent persons group of 31 people, who he said will guide and champion the national dialogue and act as the guarantors of an inclusive, constructive and credible process. In an announcement on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said the national convention will represent the diversity of the South African nation and will be a representative gathering, bringing together government, political parties, civil society, business, labour, traditional leaders, religious leaders, cultural workers, sports organisations, women, youth and community voices, among others. 'Through their various political, social and other formations, in their workplaces, in places of worship, communities, villages and sites of learning, South Africans will in the months following the national convention be encouraged to be in dialogue to define our nation's path into the future,' Ramaphosa said. The views, concerns and proposals that will emerge will be brought together at a second national convention, planned for the beginning of next year. Ramaphosa said there was broad agreement that given the challenges the country was facing at the moment, the national dialogue should be convened. 'The idea of holding a dialogue is not a new concept in our country. In many ways having dialogues is part of our DNA as a nation. At every important moment in the history of our country, we have come together as a nation to confront our challenges and forge a path into the future in dialogue with one another.'

After the Bell: Unemployment and definitions — it's about ending the poverty, stupid
After the Bell: Unemployment and definitions — it's about ending the poverty, stupid

Daily Maverick

timean hour ago

  • Daily Maverick

After the Bell: Unemployment and definitions — it's about ending the poverty, stupid

While economists argue about the definition of 'formal unemployment', what perhaps we really need to consider is a figure around how many people do something and receive an income in return for it. For as long as I can remember, one of the 'facts' that has almost defined so many of our conversations has been that we have the world's highest unemployment rate. It's the kind of point that underpins everything else; it puts political parties under pressure to claim they're trying to create jobs, it is the easiest way to understand how our economy is not working. We get reminders of this at least four times a year when Statistics South Africa releases its Quarterly Labour Force Survey. So many parts of our political commentariat erupt when we are reminded that so many people don't have jobs. For the past five years or so, I've found it really odd that the people who are given the most time to talk are union leaders. These are literally the people who have jobs talking about the people who don't have jobs. And, famously, the ANC and the government often say nothing. In fact, I remember once asking Thulas Nxesi, who was the Minister of Labour and Employment at the time, why he was so silent on the issue. His response, that it was not his job to create jobs, but actually the role of the private sector, seemed to miss the point somewhat. So I was hugely interested to read in BusinessLIVE that the outgoing CEO of Capitec, Gerrie Fourie, reckons we're understanding this in completely the wrong way. He says that we assume that the 32.9% of South Africans of working age who are unemployed are not actually working. Instead, he thinks, they are working. They're just working in the informal sector. As he puts it: 'If you go to the townships, most people have backrooms to rent out; everyone is doing something.' 'Formal unemployment' While economists can (and do … endlessly) argue about the definition of 'formal unemployment', what perhaps we really need to consider is a figure around how many people do something and receive an income in return for it. Because, as Fourie points out: 'If we really had a 32% unemployment rate, we would have had unrest.' I have to say, I do think that's true. If there were so many people who had literally nothing to do, and did not receive money as income, we would have much more violence than we actually do. And yes, social grants do play a role. But there are many millions of people who do not get a social grant, and have no formal job. At the same time, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has said for some time that our businesses face more regulation than in any other OECD-member country. Now, while regulation per se should not really hamper businesses, I think in South Africa it probably does. Some of the regulations seem unnecessarily onerous, but, more importantly, they open opportunities for corruption. And there is also an almost fatal lack of understanding from the government about the role so many informal businesses play. For example, during the pandemic, informal food markets were closed, along with spaza shops. That had the impact of making food more expensive just at the entirely wrong time. But we also don't really know how big the informal sector is. At least until 2019, our informal food sector – including spaza shops, hawkers, street traders and bakkie traders – employed more people than the formal food sector. That means that for every single person you see working in a supermarket, there is at least one other person in the informal sector. And that's just in food! Sustainable living You can imagine how many other people make a sustainable living from cutting hair or in the beauty industry, or simply washing cars. The people you see outside so many hardware stores hoping and praying they will get some work are making some money too. The problem, if there is one, seems to be that we want to focus on the formal sector. The sector that is regulated, and appears to have too many regulations. Instead, perhaps we should be focusing on simply creating the space for people to do something and be paid money in return. In other words, we should be trying to make people richer to reduce poverty. Of course, I could argue against myself here. Other research has shown that our economy is overly concentrated, basically many sectors are dominated by just a few companies. And getting new companies into those sectors is quite tough. We may not grow our economy without some kind of targeted intervention that results in de-concentration either. Changing a definition doesn't change anything, obviously. But, it does allow us to focus properly on what the real problems are. The real problem is poverty; we need more people to get more money for what they do.

What to expect from the National Dialogue in August
What to expect from the National Dialogue in August

IOL News

timean hour ago

  • IOL News

What to expect from the National Dialogue in August

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the National Dialogue will be held in August. Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially announced the launch of a nationwide and inclusive National Dialogue. The initiative is aimed at reshaping South Africa's future in the face of deep social and economic challenges and comes amid rising inequality, unemployment, crime, and systemic corruption. Ramaphosa revealed that a National Convention will be convened on August 15, bringing together leaders from across political, civil, religious, traditional, and business sectors. This convention will mark the formal start of a people-led, society-wide process to reflect on the state of the nation and forge a new shared vision for South Africa. 'At every turning point in our history—from ending apartheid to building democracy—it has been dialogue that led us forward,' Ramaphosa stated, adding that dialogue is in South African DNA. Ramaphosa emphasised that these 'persistent wounds' demand urgent, collective action, and a renewed national compact. The National Dialogue will not be a single event, but a phased, participatory process unfolding through local consultations, sectoral discussions, and provincial gatherings. It will culminate in a second convention in early 2026, where a national programme of action will be adopted, according to the president. To oversee the process, Ramaphosa has appointed an Eminent Persons Group—a diverse body of respected South Africans tasked with guiding and championing the dialogue. 'This is a call to every South African—young and old, rural and urban, from all communities—to help define our common future,' said the President. 'Together, we must shape the next chapter of our democracy.' Among others, the group includes Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane, leader of the Zion Christian Church, Grace Bishop Engenas Lekganyane, leader of the St Engenas Zion Christian Church, Bheki Ntshalintshali, unionist and former COSATU General Secretary and Siya Kolisi, Springbok captain and world champion. The Dialogue is expected to align with South Africa's Vision 2030 and reinvigorate the National Development Plan with fresh consensus and commitment. [email protected] IOL Politics

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store