By Kopano Dibakwane
A special court sitting was held to bid farewell to the first judge president of the Mpumalanga division of the high court-judge president Malesela Francis Legodi(affectionately known as “Mokone”) on Monday, in Mbombela.
The emotional farewell ceremony was organised by Mpumalanga SAWLA (South African Women Lawyers Association) and attended by, amongst others, members of the judiciary, legal fraternity, members of the media and Legodi’s family.
The judge president has served within the lagal space, in various positions, for more than 40 years. Born in Ga-Maja, near Polokwane-Limpopo, he obtained a BProc from the University of the North, worked his way up from a court clerk to interpreter, prosecutor, attorney. He was appointed to the Gauteng high court in 2004, acted in the supreme court of appeal in 2013 and 2014.
He served in other administrative positions including serving as chairperson of the Mpumalanga Parks Board. His appointment as judge president of the Mpumalanga division of the high court started on 1 August 2017.
His colleague and fellow judge, TV Ratshibvumo, referred to Legodi as a lion. He said that Legodi will be remembered dearly as a strict father figure who has managed to instill unity in the judiciary.
” Mokone fought for the freedom of this land with a pen in his hand and a robe on the shoulders. I’m very proud to have been associated with you. It is very painful and all the judges will miss you. We promise to carry on with the good work,” said Ratshibvumo.
In his address, Legodi said that he’s thankful for the warm messages of goodwill he has received from different quarters, also thanked a cordial working relationship with the media.
” I have today seen gratitude in real time from each and everyone of you. I’ve heard so many things that you’ve said about me, perhaps I did not deserve the things you’ve said, but if what you’ve said about me is true, then that’s who I am. The beauty about life is that we learn on a daily basis. Money never brings happiness to a person.
” Be of use to honour people, find peace within yourself as a human being.Practice forgiveness. I might have crossed paths with some of you practitioners and members of the community in this area, I’m just a human being. If I’ve wronged you, you must know that it was coming from a good heart, I hereby apologise. We expect each and everyone of you to be on top of your game,” said Legodi.
Chairperson of SAWLA in Mpumalanga, advocate Buyile Mdluli, applauded Legodi for his passion for women’s right, supporting outreach programmes and interacting with members of various communities. Mdluli said that SAWLA will continue to work with Legodi in support of the judge president’s commitment towards community development.
