Rich Pickings Out Of The Past (Paperback)

Tragedies happen again and again because we fail to learn from the past. The past is rich with valuable lessons – rich pickings. The reader is taken back into the past in search of some of those lessons, many of which, regrettably, we failed – and continue failing – to learn. As we dig into the past for those rich pickings, there will be moments to laugh, cry or even weep; but that is exactly how lessons are learnt in life.

Other similar incidents learnt from, both abroad and at home, relate to the author’s own experiences in South Africa, including as a Judge who heard amnesty applications as a member of the Amnesty Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The book hopes to show that capacity for evil is not peculiar to any nation or race; it also discusses the dangers of tribalism.

The chapter ‘Beyond the Frontiers’ takes the reader into the rest of Africa. A lot is revealed, including divisions the author witnessed – while serving as an AU judge based in Tanzania – within the AU along the languages of, ironically, colonial masters; also referenced is the sorry state of human rights in Africa. Have we seized the opportunity to learn all the valuable lessons which that great teacher, ‘The Past’, offered?

The author leaves it to readers to make their own final judgement after reading the book as to whether, at the individual and collective levels, we have learnt those lessons and taken them to heart for the good of our individual and collective destiny.

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A remarkable account of a remarkable life

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 | Review by: Judy Croome | @judy_croome

A candid account of the challenges Judge Bernard Makgabo Ngoepe faced on his journey from being “the village boy” to his position as one of the most respected judicial and academic minds on the African continent, “Rich Pickings Out of the Past” is an eloquent memoir combining humility, human rights and history. A vivid tapestry—at once jubilant and deeply sobering—Judge Ngoepe’s memoir teaches us what it means to come of age as a conscientious human being. Everyone who seeks to understand South Africa at this point in our history will learn much from the complex mix of race, politics, education and law that threads through these stories. His wise and compelling voice will inspire anyone with a passion for learning about the past to work towards a better future for all. As he looks back “through the lens of a Judge”, he recalls highly politicized cases. Unflinching in his acknowledgement of the good and bad aspects of both an apartheid and a post-apartheid South Africa, Judge Ngoepe takes readers inside the duties and responsibilities of a judge with compassion, candour and humour. Judge Ngoepe’s determination to recognize and transcend any personal biases in the execution of his judicial duties reflects a formidable inner strength, perhaps forged in the personal tragedies he has suffered. Where others would fall eagerly into the role of victim, Judge Ngoepe repeatedly rises above circumstances to break another barrier, to cross another boundary, helping change the shape of a nation from the pariah of the world to a young democracy that, if it can learn from the lessons and the deep wounds of the past, has the potential to lead the way for other nations —first, second or third world—to thrive in more equitable and humane ways of being. As our nation (and continent) continues to struggle with overcoming the painful historic context of colonialism, Judge Bernard Ngoepe’s “Rich Pickings” takes on added importance: his beliefs centre on the evolving standards of human rights for all in a maturing society that reflects the personal progress of everyone within that society. “Rich Pickings Out of the Past” is a memoir that, irrespective of gender, race or religious beliefs, the youth of today – the leaders of tomorrow – should be obliged to read, for it is a text that, with an unblinking eye, recognises the flawed humanity of all: president or pauper, black or white, self or other, and judge or criminal. Ultimately, the value of “Rich Pickings Out of the Past” lies in the refreshing change from other memoirs that are too often self-aggrandizing. I closed the book feeling that I had spent time with a wise and humble elder, one who has seen the depths humanity can sink to and is yet passionate about the heights that, with integrity, discipline and commitment to a cause, humanity can still aspire too. I’ve now bought several extra copies of “Rich Pickings Out of the Past” to give as gifts to friends, family and acquaintances because, not only is it a remarkable account of a remarkable life, but it’s also a beacon of hope, a guiding light, in a modern world that too often seems to have lost its way.

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