Meyiwa murder trial: Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng apologises for 'black lawyers' comment

JOHANNESBURG - The presiding judge in the Senzo Meyiwa trial has withdrawn the comments that he made about black lawyers.

On Wednesday, while reprimanding one of the lawyers who failed to appear in court Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng asked if this was the behaviour of black lawyers.

Mokgoatlheng has also since apologised for the comments after the Black Lawyers Association asked to meet him over the comments.

He said, however, he is prohibited from meeting them by law as the matter is still being heard in court.

Mokgoatlheng started proceedings in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial on Friday with an apology for his comments saying upon reflection, admits that his comments could be interpreted as intemperate, ill-advised, ill-considered and offensive.

He also apologised to the Gauteng Judge President, his deputy, the chief justice and the Judicial Service Commission.

The lawyer who failed to appear in court on Wednesday, Thulani Mngomezulu also penned an apology saying he had asked his colleagues to stand in for him.

He told the court that he had to take on another urgent matter because he had not been paid in five months, and he needed to pay school fees and his bond.

Meanwhile, the state is hearing the testimony of an official from the Road Traffic Management Corporation which speaks to the whereabouts of the first accused Muzi Sibiya in 2014 when Meyiwa was murdered.