South African judge at heart of rape comment row steps down

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG

A white South African judge who created outrage last year after posting on social media that black men regarded rape as a cultural right has resigned, the country’s justice ministry has confirmed.

In a statement on Thursday, the ministry said: “Judge Mabel Jansen has written to the President and the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Advocate Michael Masutha, informing them of her resignation with immediate effect.”

Mabel, who worked as a high court Judge in Pretoria, posted on the Facebook page of South African film maker Gillian Schutte her claim that “99 percent” of the criminal cases she heard were of "black fathers/uncles/brothers raping children as young as five".

She also claimed that in black culture women were there to pleasure men.

Her comments, posted in 2015, led to nationwide condemnation in a country that emerged from decades of racial oppression in 1994.

The judge was placed on special leave as the Judicial Services Commission examined her case.

“Her resignation will obviate a protracted disciplinary process,” the justice ministry said.

Last year South Africa witnessed an increase in incidents of racial hatred, forcing the government to take steps, including the development of hate crimes and hate speech legislation.