More than a decade since a drunk judge, Nkola Motata, was recorded swearing at onlookers after he crashed his Jaguar into a wall‚ a Judicial Service Commission tribunal has found that his racist comments — and the dishonest way in which he conducted his trial — could justify his removal as a judge. The tribunal said it believed that if Motata was to retain his status as a judicial officer, this would negatively affect public confidence in the justice system. It has recommended that the commission consider impeaching Motata — a move that would see him losing all the benefits he enjoys as a judicial officer. Despite his conviction for drunk driving‚ the judge had told the tribunal that he did not consider himself drunk at the time of the January 2007 crash because “I had only had two glasses of wine and that’s below the limit”. But the tribunal stated in its findings that it was evident that Motata was indeed drunk. Motata had also defended his use of the word “boer” to refer to Richa...
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