Case against racism accused Vicky Momberg postponed to May

A date has been set for estate agent Vicky Momberg to finally take the stand next month after the case of crimen injuria against her was postponed by the Randburg Magistrates’ Court.

The charges relate to an incident where she allegedly lashed out with racist remarks at black policemen when she called the police after a robbery incident in Northriding last year.

Momberg’s trial was postponed several times after she axed her previous lawyer, claiming he had leaked information about her to the press.

She appeared briefly in court on Tuesday, but, according to prosecutor Yusuf Baba, her trial had to be postponed again as her lawyer was recently hospitalised.

The last time she appeared in February, Momberg was told that when the trial continued she would not be given any more time if she tried to change lawyers again.

Momberg also appeared in the Equality Court earlier this year. The South African Human Rights Commission requested this court to fine her R150 000.

Momberg shot to infamy last year when a video surfaced of her apparently shouting racist slurs after falling victim to a smash and grab incident. Charged initially with one count of crimen injuria, more charges were added after it later emerged that when the estate agent phoned the police to report the incident, she released a torrent of racial slurs and insults at three officers.

According to the South African Police Service glossary, crimen injuria consists of “unlawfully and intentionally impairing the dignity or privacy of another person”.

The case was opened in the same year that another estate agent, Penny Sparrow, was charged with crimen injuria for labelling black people “monkeys” on Facebook in a rant about beach litter.

Sparrow was also fined R150 000 by the Equality Court after she was found guilty of hate speech.

Early last month, Momberg’s application for legal aid hit a snag when she was asked to provide documents proving that she could not afford legal representation.

The “unemployed” real estate agent said last year she had lost faith in her legal aid attorney following the alleged leaking of confidential information.

When she appeared in court in December, she completed an application for legal aid.

She is expected to testify on May 19 and 22 this year.

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