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Judiciary racism probe finished
16/10/2005 18:49 - (SA)
Cape Town - A report on racism and sexism in the judiciary has been completed, Justice Minister Bridgette Mabandla said in Cape Town Sunday.
She was speaking after a three-hour meeting with the country's heads of courts, chaired by Chief Justice Pius Langa.
She said she routinely met the heads of courts ahead of sittings of the Judicial Services Commission, which gathers in the city on Monday.
"I was receiving reports back. One of them is the racism and sexism report. I'm told it's ready," said Mabandla.
She said the heads of court would decide when to make it available.
Mabandla said the judiciary had set up a task team after receiving a report on alleged racism from Cape Judge President John Hlophe last year.
"They scanned the landscape to check out how much it is a problem, sexism and racism, and we'll hear from them," she said.
Asked whether she was concerned about renewed claims of racism in the Cape judiciary and Cape Bar, levelled last week by the Black Lawyers' Association, she said racism in any form should be a concern "especially (for) a minister of justice".
"But we must wait for facts."
Questioned on whether she and the judges had discussed recent allegations of racism against Hlophe himself, she replied: "Why should I? We had a fixed agenda and I was dealing matters on the agenda."
The heads of court carried on with their meeting after Mabandla left at 17:45.
- SAPA
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