Tribunal probing sexual harassment allegations against EC Judge President resumes
The judicial body last week heard testimony from the woman who laid a complaint against the top judge.
Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge at the Judicial Conduct Tribunal investigating sexual harassment allegations against him on 17 January 2025. Picture: Office of the Chief Justice/N Mabusela
JOHANNESBURG - The Judicial Conduct Tribunal investigating allegations of sexual harassment against Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge is expected to resume with hearings in Rosebank, Johannesburg, on Monday.
Last week, the judicial body heard testimony from the woman who laid a complaint against the top judge.
The Eastern Cape High Court's secretary, Andiswa Mengo, submitted that Judge Mbenenge made unwanted sexual advances towards her between 2021 and 2022 and allegedly sent crude and explicit content to the junior.
Mbenenge denies sending such content, alleging the interactions were consensual.
Mengo was also probed about how she responded to the jurist's advances and why she said she liked the, in one instance.
However, the organisation representing Mengo has highlighted the complexity of the matter.
READ: Tribunal concludes first week of testimony in EC Judge President Mbenenge sexual harassment case
"Sexual harassment is complex because it happens in the workplace and in the workplace, we come with various intercepting areas of our lives into the workplace that influence us within the workplace as well," said an attorney at the Women’s Legal Centre, Chriscy Blouws.
Blouws adds that socioeconomic conditions also add to how alleged victims of sexual harassment impact how they respond to advances in the workplace.
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"So, therefore, sexual harassment takes various forms and affects people in various different ways. It is difficult for women to come forward with these complaints because you are not only affected psychologically, mentally, physically but you have to come forward and think about the consequences to your job and that affects your socioeconomic conditions, it affects your family," said Blouws.