Mengo claims she received death threats following her sex harassment complaint against EC Judge President Mbenenge

JOHANNESBURG - Eastern Cape High Court secretary, Andiswa Mengo, claims she has received death threats following her sexual harassment complaint against the division’s judge president, Selby Mbenenge.

Mengo's complaint is the first ever that has led to a probe which could lead to the judge president's impeachment.

The top judge is accused of making unwanted sexual advances towards Mengo between 2021 and 2022.

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The tribunal has so far heard evidence from expert witnesses who have corroborated some of the testimony provided by Mengo in May.

Hearings have been postponed to the end of June.

Mengo laid her official sexual harassment complaint against the division’s top judge in 2023.

Since then, Mengo has been working in the same division of the high court, taking leave from work each time the Judicial Conduct Tribunal sits to investigate the allegations she has levelled against Mbenenge.

Now, it’s alleged that she received a handwritten note at her desk which stated that a "bullet was waiting for" her.

During her evidence in chief before the tribunal, Mengo had also testified that she had received threats shortly after laying her complaint against the senior judge.

While the tribunal is expected to sit again from 30 June, it's expected that the panel will be mindful of this.

The matter has been escalated to the Office of the Chief Justice and law enforcement authorities.