Emotional scenes play out at tribunal probing sex harassment claims against EC Judge President Mbenenge
Andiswa Mengo asked for a moment to compose herself several times after the messages she received from the senior judge were read out before the tribunal.
The Judicial Conduct Tribual hearing into the sexual harassment claims against Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge in Rosebank, Joahnnesburg on 15 January 2025. Picture: Zoleka Qodashe/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - Emotional scenes have played out in the judicial hearing probing sexual harassment allegations against Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge in Johannesburg.
The complainant, Andiswa Mengo, was asked about an explicit photo she received from the senior judge.
Mengo asked for a moment to compose herself several times after the messages she received from the senior judge were read out before the tribunal.
In 2021, Mbenenge deleted a series of texts he had sent to High Court secretary, Mengo.
Evidence leader, advocate Salome Scheepers, probed Mengo on her recollection of the messages, to which she gave this response, with the help of an interpreter.
"One of them was a private part."
The senior judge then sent his junior a message saying: "Yours please".
Asked what the 63-year-old meant by this, Mengo said the judge was asking for her to send a similar image.
After receiving the photo, Mengo exclaimed: "Jesus!"
When Mbenenge responded, he allegedly said the following, as read out by Scheepers.
"The respondent replied to your response where you said 'Jesus', he responded to you at 23:02: 'Why it put this way, looks delicious.'"
A visibly emotional Mengo struggled to continue with her testimony and asked for a brief adjournment.
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