Judge’s feminist court directive just an ‘experiment’

A FEMINIST-LEANING directive issued this week about access to a courtroom at the South Gauteng High Court was just an “experiment” by a judge.

Judiciary spokesperson Nathi Mncube told The Star yesterday that the directive Judge Gregory Charles Wright put up was intended to test staggered access to the courtroom.

The directive, laden with modern feminist jargon, said women and gender non-conforming lawyers and litigants could enter the civil courtroom hearing unopposed matters.

Men would have to wait for their turn to be called into the courtroom.

The directive said: “Only litigants in person and practitioners who are women and practitioners who identify as gender non-conforming may enter the courtroom.

“Men practitioners (are) to wait outside the courtroom until called in.”

The directive came at a time when civil applications brought to the high court in downtown Joburg were being heard virtually due to the Covid-19 spectre.

Only criminal cases were being heard in open court.

Judge Wright’s directive concerned 43 unopposed matters that were heard on Wednesday.

They included five applications that Bridge Taxi Finance brought against many individuals believed to be taxi owners.

Taxi bosses falling behind on payments were often dragged to court for repossessions.

Another notable application in Judge Wright’s roll was brought by the City of Joburg against “those invading” land in Ivory Park, near Midrand.

Yesterday, Mncube would not be drawn to comment in extensive detail about the directive.

The Star asked him, among other things, whether the feminist-leaning directive would not be considered unnecessarily discriminatory.

In a terse reply, Mncube said Gauteng Deputy Judge President (DJP) Roland

Sutherland had informed the Office of the Chief Justice that the directive was meant to test whether civil cases could return to open court.

“DJP Sutherland has advised that it was a once-off experiment conducted by Judge Wright on staggering access to the courtroom,” Mncube said.

He added that following the experiment, civil cases would continue to be heard virtually.

“Hearings will continue on virtual platforms going forward,” he said.