Judith February

Cape Town

lawyer, editor: Daily Maverick’s ‘Judith's Prudence’, Freedom Under Law: Executive Officer, Board: SA Cricketers’ Association, Classicist, cricket fan.

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Articles

What does it mean and where to from here?

4 days ago | dailymaverick.co.za | Judith February |Chris Oxtoby

The performance of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has been a longstanding point of concern, with criticisms focusing particularly on the lack of successful prosecutions in cases arising from the era of State Capture. The implications of failings in the NPA, and the resultant lack of public confidence in the justice system, have serious implications for the rule of law.
SA’s cricket comes full circle

1 week ago | dailymaverick.co.za | Judith February

Scoring 69 runs with two days left in a Test match and eight wickets in hand should ordinarily be a doddle. But this was the World Test Championship final on the greatest cricketing stage in the world, Lord’s. And this was our Proteas’ fickle batting line-up without any of the superstars of former years and who had collapsed for 138 in the first innings. And it was an ICC event and so naturally the “choker” epitaph was already being written. Don't want to see this?
Judith February and Chris Oxtoby | High court’s crucial decision protects the integrity of the judiciary

3 weeks ago | ewn.co.za | Judith February |Chris Oxtoby

On 2 June 2025, a full bench of the Western Cape High Court handed down judgment in the case brought by the Democratic Alliance (DA), Corruption Watch and Freedom Under Law against the UMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and Dr MJ Hlophe. The case is related to the National Assembly’s (NA) decision last year to designate Dr Hlophe as a member of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
South Africa: Gayton Mckenzie Should Be Relieved of His Cabinet Position

3 weeks ago | allafrica.com | Judith February

The reality is that Gayton McKenzie has no place in government and his clownishly dangerous comments must be met with sanction. While everyone was distracted by the spectacle in the Oval Office between Presidents Trump and Ramaphosa, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie was engaging in xenophobic outbursts, not as a campaigning Patriotic Alliance rabble-rouser but, in effect, asserting xenophobia as government policy.
Gayton McKenzie should be relieved of his Cabinet position

3 weeks ago | dailymaverick.co.za | Judith February

While everyone was distracted by the spectacle in the Oval Office between Presidents Trump and Ramaphosa, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie was engaging in xenophobic outbursts, not as a campaigning Patriotic Alliance rabble-rouser but, in effect, asserting xenophobia as government policy.
Judith February | Why South Africans of all races must reject being weaponised in America’s culture wars

4 weeks ago | ewn.co.za | Judith February

If a two-term Trump presidency is the backlash to eight years of an urbane, intelligent black man in the White House, then AfriForum’s lies about our country could count as the backlash to 31 years of post-apartheid democracy, a sense for this grouping of white people that they have lost their place and voice in the "new" South Africa. This is coupled with a deep dissatisfaction with the ANC-led government (even though they are not alone in this) - if one were to keep it dangerously simple.
JUDITH FEBRUARY | The manufactured crisis of Afrikaner ‘refugees’

1 month ago | ewn.co.za | Judith February

There has been much "breaking news", "just in" on local South African television about the Afrikaner "refugees" who boarded an airplane chartered by the US government to provide a "safe haven" for these Afrikaners who have claimed "refugee" status and are having their US citizenship expedited. The entire exercise is quite obviously absurd (not to mention a waste of US taxpayer money, but let that not be our problem).
Debunking the myths of Afrikaner persecution

1 month ago | dailymaverick.co.za | Judith February

Judith February is executive officer: Freedom Under Law. The entire ‘refugee’ exercise is quite obviously absurd. But it is entirely in keeping with the lies, drama and illogic of the Trump administration. For Trump the show is the point. And it’s quite a show having people virtually airlifted from South Africa, so great is their suffering.
JUDITH FEBRUARY & CHRIS OXTOBY | Challenges to the legal system starkly revealed

1 month ago | ewn.co.za | Judith February |Chris Oxtoby

Two incidents in recent weeks have raised concerns about aspects of the governance of the court system and the legal profession. They invite questions about both individual and structural leadership, which are crucial to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law. The Legal Practice Council (LPC)’s disciplinary process against Advocate Dali Mpofu was always going to be a significant moment.
OPINION: SA regressive in protecting constitutional frameworks that quash abuse of power

2 months ago | ewn.co.za | Judith February |Chris Oxtoby

The rule of law has been under pressure for some time in South Africa. This is not surprising. There is a global trend, prominent in the United States under the Trump presidency but by no means unique to it, of democratic institutions and constitutional checks on power being undermined and fundamentally called into question.