Parliament demands Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng to apologise for racial comment after advocate skips trial for Comrades Marathon
Parliament demands Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng to apologise over racially charged comments he made when one of the advocates to him he will miss court to run a marathon.
The chairperson of the portfolio committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, Xola Nqola, has demanded Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng to apologise to the national over the racially charged comment he made in court on Thursday.
Mokgoatlheng made the comment after advocate Charles Mnisi requested to be excused from proceedings on Monday to participate in the Comrades Marathon.
"This is what happens in a South Africa run by blacks. I can tell you now, even if you call Uncle Tom, I don't think a white advocate will ever have the gall to ask me that. Never," said Mokgoatlheng.
Nqola said the comments border on racism and added that the statement was unacceptable.
"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," said Nqola.
Nqola added that Mokgoatlheng's frustration was understandable, however, it's 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."
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