• Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng said a white lawyer would never miss court to run the Comrades Marathon.

• The GOOD party and legal experts say the judge’s comments are racially divisive and damage trust in the justice system.

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng is facing backlash after saying a white advocate would never skip court to run the Comrades Marathon, but black lawyers do.

The remark came during the high-profile Senzo Meyiwa murder trial. Defence lawyer Charles Mnisi had asked for time off to recover after running the race. He sent a message through a registrar explaining he would be driving back the next day.

But the judge did not take kindly to the message. He complained that Mnisi had not spoken to him directly, calling the request disrespectful.

Mokgoatlheng told the court: “This is South Africa run by blacks. I can tell you now, a white advocate would never have the gall to ask me that.”

The GOOD party said the judge’s comments were unacceptable and harmful to public trust in the legal system. “The judiciary must show fairness and dignity. These remarks do the opposite,” the party said in a statement.

Legal group Judges Matter agreed that lawyers must not delay trials, especially ones with high public interest. However, their spokesperson, Mbekezeli Benjamin, stated that the judge overstepped by bringing race into the matter. He also warned that this was not the first time Mokgoatlheng had made racial comments.

Mnisi looked uncomfortable as the judge read out his message in court. “Dear colleague... I will be running the Comrades Marathon... and will be driving back the following day,” the message read.

Judge Mokgoatlheng mocked the excuse, saying sarcastically: “Everybody should watch the marathon, I suppose.”

But not everyone is against him. Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo told News24 that Mokgoatlheng had not done anything wrong.

Pictured above: Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng.

Image source: @BraHlonisky