Mogoeng flays business, calls for transformation
CHIEF Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng yesterday laid into both big business and the government for hiring white males to defend them in courts, thus paying lip service to transformation in the legal sector.
Mogoeng, who was addressing a Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry luncheon in the city, said the judiciary was recently at the receiving end of criticism regarding transformation.
He conceded that while the judiciary was not fully transformed as there was still a lot to be done to empower women, challenges also remained with both big business and the government.
“There ’ s still a lot to be done to empower women, especially black women. However, the big challenge also is that whenever big business has a matter before our courts, they brief white male lawyers.
“The same goes for the government, it briefs white males,” he said.
Mogoeng said there was a great need to address these issues. He urged business to support young black student lawyers at universities and help them to be nurtured by the very same white males.
Mogoeng, who holds a B Juris and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degrees from both the Universities of Zululand and Natal, said he and his wife Mmaphefo, also a lawyer, were helping three young people with their education.
“We are helping one young person in high school and two at university.
“If I can do it with my own salary, how much more can business do? We can all impact our surroundings, ” he said.
Mogoeng urged business to fight against fronting, have zero tolerance for corruption or maladministration and to strive for clean governance.
“I know this because I have made many judgments against fronting, an act designed to precisely disregard good practice in business. You will have a black CEO placed there and later discover he was a gardener,” Mogoeng said.
“I know it ’ s not all of you, but why do we allow just one person to spoil our good name and practice? For you to get a tender, knowing quite well that processes were flouted, is something to be frowned upon.”
He cited South Korea and Singapore as examples of developed economies that employed good governance and clear economic plans refined over the years while embracing education.
“I cannot stress this much, we need to embrace education aggressively, ” he said.