Doreen Mokgolo
A court orderly at the Nigel Magistrate’s Court has been at the receiving end of being called the “K” word by a top attorney at the Nigel Magistrate’s Court.
It is alleged the exchange started when the court orderly, Warrant Officer Johannes Monyakeni, was recently escorting the attorney’s client to the holding cells.
While he was in conversation with the client who wanted him to call his family, the attorney – who was chatting to the magistrate – allegedly started insulting Monyakeni.
According to Monyakeni, it appeared the attorney thought he was laughing at something that the attorney had said when talking to the magistrate.
The attorney allegedly asked him if what he was discussing with the magistrate was a joke and before he knew it he directed him to keep a distance while referring to him using the “K” word.
“I was stunned by his behaviour because whatever he was discussing with the magistrate had nothing to do with me. I then went to report the matter to the captain who also tried to establish what the matter was but the angry attorney didn’t want to hear the reason,” he said.
Monyakeni said he felt like he was still working under the apartheid system where white people freely called black people the “K” word with a straight face.
He could not let this matter slide so he decided to open a case against the said senior attorney.
“If we want to fight racism we need to hold those responsible accountable,” he said.
The matter is currently heard at the Equality Court and the trial is set to start on 14 April.
