Senzo Meyiwa murder trial presiding judge issues an apology for racial remarks - ‘
Following an outburst at a lawyer's message in court that some perceived as racist, Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng has apologised publicly today on Monday, June 9, 2025, at the Pretoria High Court.
When defense attorney, Adv. Charles Mnisi requested a Monday court leave to accommodate his Comrades Marathon travel schedule last week, Mokgoatlheng became enraged.
'I don't think a white advocate can have the gall to ask me that,' he said.
Read more | Presiding judge at Senzo Meyiwa's murder trial causes uproar after racial remarks spark controversy
Mnisi ran and completed the marathon on Sunday and did not appear in court but was replaced by Adv. Sipho Ramosepele.
However, Judge Mokgoatlheng apologised in his absence saying,
'I have never behaved the way I did,' referring to his career of 26 years as a judge and 30 years as an attorney.
He further claimed that the judge president together with the deputy judge president had chastised him.
'I agree, my conduct was questionable and incorrect.'
Additionally, he revealed that his wife also reprimanded him and pushed for a public apology, claiming that his conduct was worse than that of lawyers charged with embezzling funds from Road Accident Funds (RAF) clients.
'She told me I should apologise to the whole of South Africa,' he stated.
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He also mentioned that his late son, who was an advocate who passed away from cancer wouldn't have been very happy with his behaviour.
'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 added.
Furthermore, in response to the accusations that he was racist, Mokgoatlheng stated that he believed this to be false and hurtful. He recounted his upbringing in a politically engaged family that frequently hosted dignitaries like Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela, and a number of well-known South Africans whom he said know him personally.
'If people say I'm a racist, maybe I'm not aware of that, but I apologise.'
In closing, the judge also invited the accused who felt like they could not receive a fair trial from him to express his opinion.
'If you think I am not fit to be your judge, please tell me and I'll recuse myself.'
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