Moseneke: No reason why SA can't attain economic justice

He was speaking at the Killarney Country Club in Johannesburg on Friday night where he was honoured with the Black Excellence Recognition Award.

"We ought to spend our time on things that are important and throw out those that are not important. This whole power-mongering, time-wasting energy that is spent when in fact the issues of inequality are plain. We have the power. We have the authority from the people. There is no reason why we can't use our democracy to create economic justice." 

Moseneke said the country needs to do more to resolve the structural injustices that come with inequality. 

"It’s also true that many white people have privilege. That comes from our horrible historical past. Now here is the point, and that is important, we are supposed to be governing this country. We should spend time thoughtfully thinking through, what are the true things that stand in the way of eradicating inequality?" 

Gauteng Premier David Makhura also lauded the role played by Moseneke, who recently chaired the arbitration process into the Life Esidimeni tragedy that resulted in the death of 144 mental health patients. 

Moseneke was praised after he decided to donate the fees he received for chairing hearings to well-performing law students at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

"As a country, we have to be very proud of what we are, of what you are. We are a country that has come from a history where the law was used to put black people down in every sector of society. And you rose against the law." 

Moseneke dedicated the award to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital.