Jeff Radebe in court for racial discrimination case

Energy minister Jeff Radebe appeared before the Equality Court on Thursday for racial discrimination case brought by workers union Solidarity.

This comes after Radebe, during his time as justice minister, refused to promote magistrate Martin Kroukamp to the post of the senior magistrate at the Alberton Magistrate’s court.

ANC NEC member and former Justice Minister Cde @radebe_jeff appears before the Equality Court.The racial discrimination case is brought Solidarity after he refused to promote magistrate Martin Kroukamp to the post of a senior magistrate at Alberton Magistrate's Court in 2011. pic.twitter.com/WoFrAVdbqe

— African National Congress (@MYANC) December 6, 2018

The union had said the minister ‘blatantly ignored” the Magistrate’s Commission’s recommendation to promote magistrate Martin Kroukamp to a position as senior magistrate at Alberton’s Magistrate’s Court in 2014, “believing that appointing Kroukamp would not promote transformation”.

Kroukamp, was shortlisted and interviewed in 2010 along with three other applicants and in 2011, the magistrates commission recommended Kroukamp as the only suitable candidate as senior magistrate. @radebe_jeff @MYANC

— African National Congress (@MYANC) December 6, 2018

Solidarity said the case was a typical example of the government’s “thoughtless” pursuit of transformation targets at the expense of merits.

It said Radebe’s actions deprived the public of “a competent and skilled magistrate because of his skin colour”.

The proceedings continue.

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