Afriforum lodges racism complaint against Motata
May 12, 2111
The Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) is expected to hear a racism complaint against Judge Nkola Motata, lodged by AfriForum, on Saturday.
"The JCC invited AfriForum to address the meeting on Saturday and to make a submission in writing to the JCC concerning Motata's conduct," AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said on Thursday.
The complaint is related to remarks Motata made after he crashed his car into a wall in Johannesburg while drunk.
AfriForum said that an audio recording of the events was played in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court during his trial and that he had made racist remarks against whites after the crash.
"Among other things, Motata said with reference to Mr Richard Baird, owner of the house where the crash happened: 'No Boer is going to undermine me. This used to be the white man's land, but it isn't anymore.'
"Motata also allegedly told members of the Johannesburg metro police who tried to calm him that they should not support the white man," said Kriel.
They believe that Motata's conduct violates the public's confidence in the legal system.
If Motata is found guilty of gross misconduct he has to be removed, by the president and by a two thirds majority vote in the National Assembly.
The judge crashed his car into the perimeter wall of a house in Hurlingham, north of Johannesburg, in 2007.
In November the High Court in Johannesburg turned down his application for leave to appeal the conviction and sentence for drunk driving.
He was fined R20,000 or one year in jail.
He was placed on special leave for the trial, and it was not immediately clear on Thursday if he was back at work and whether he had petitioned the Supreme Court of Appeal directly for leave to appeal.
AfriForum also took ANC Youth League president Julius Malema to the Equality Court on a hate speech charge for singing lyrics that translate as "Shoot the Boer".
That case continues.
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