Chief Justice Pius Langa of South Africa has emphasised the need for judicial independence in the administration of justice.

He was delivering a lecture at the 6th memorial lecture for the late judge of the Lesotho High Court, Justice Peter Mofokeng, who died in 1986.

Chief Justice Langa said judicial independence was what the late Justice Mofokeng advocated during his lifetime, saying his main focus was to enhance protection of human rights.

He said a key principle in implementing judicial independence is impartiality to which he said judges should act in accordance with such principle.

He stated that ethical legal profession leads to ethical judiciary, something that he said, the late Justice Mofokeng also advocated for.

Chief Justice Langa said the work that judges do in their chambers, as well as in open courts should be ethically oriented.

He noted that judgments made by judges should not only be legally based, but should also be morally oriented, as protection of human rights should be seen adhered to by courts of law.

Speaking at the same occasion the President of Law Society of Lesotho, Advocate Zwelakhe Mda, said the recent society's conference resolved that there is need to strive for efficient legal practice.

He said this was resolved after legal practitioners' criticism by the court of appeal, which emphasised need for lawyers to be efficient in their practice.

Advocate Mda said, lawyers should not discriminate clients, saying all clients need to be served to their satisfaction by all lawyers.

He said it is the duty of lawyers to assist judges in order for judges to deliver sound judgments after fully been addressed by lawyers.

The occasion, which was officially opened by Chief Justice Mahapela Lehohla, was attended by President of the court of appeal, Jan Steyn, judges of court of appeal and high court, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Mrs. Mpeo Mahase-Moiloa, magistrates and other legal practitioners.

The occasion was held at Lesotho Sun Hotel on Thursday.

The theme of the occasion was, 'Judicial and Legal Professional Ethics.'

Justice Mofokeng is the first Mosotho judge to write a law book and he is an author of a book called, 'Criminal Law and Procedure Through Cases.' He died in 1986.

Source: LENA 12/10/2007