Judge President Selby Mbenenge at the Judicial Conduct Tribunal this week. JP Mbenenge presides at the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court and was accused by Andiswa Mengo - a judge’s clerk - of sexual harassment, in which she alleges several disturbing communications from Mbenenge.
Image: Office of the Chief Justice / M Mkhwanazi
Judicial Conduct Tribunal witness Ntomboxolo Jobela is expected to continue testimony at the Tribunal hearing today after giving testimony yesterday.
Jobela is a judge's secretary at the Gqerberha High Court and a colleague to Andiswa Mengo, who has accused Judge President Selby Mbenenge of sexual harassment after Mbenenge sent her untoward WhatsApp conversations.
Mengo had confided in Jobela about the messages she had received.
According to Jobela, Mengo had informed her of the WhatsApp conversations between her and Mbenenge, and shared with her the explicit pictures she had allegedly received from him.
Judicial Conduct Tribunal witness Ntomboxolo Jobela is expected to continue testimony at the Tribunal hearing today.
Image: Office of the Chief Justice / M Mkhwanazi
She said that Mengo initially had been reluctant to confirm from whom she was receiving the messages, but said it was an older man who is a judge, and what angered her was that “she was in the same age group as the man’s children”. Jobela probed Mengo about the man's identity, to which Mengo replied that she would disclose it during a personal meeting.
After receiving a picture from Mengo — a leg with a shoe in an office setting — Jobela realised it depicted a woman in Mbenenge’s office.
Jobela said she had then asked Mengo if it was the chambers of Mbenenge, to which Mengo allegedly replied “you don’t disappoint”.
Jobela said she raised this to her senior, who is a judge, as it “did not sit well with her” and probed the judge to ask if it was him, as he was also an elderly judge. Jobela said the judge vehemently denied it.
Proceedings were postponed to today after advocate Griffits Mandonsela SC, counsel for Mbenenge, requested time to consult to further his questioning of the witness today.
Also on Thursday, judge’s secretary Abongile Tshete, was called to give very brief testimony after being pointed to CCTV footage to confirm if it was him in a court corridor. Tshete confirmed that it was he on the CCTV footage.
On Thursday, judge’s secretary Abongile Tshete was called to give brief testimony after being pointed to CCTV footage during the Judicial Conduct Tribunal.
Image: Office of the Chief Justice / M Mkhwanazi
Mbenenge presides at the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court and was accused by Mengo – a judge’s clerk – of sexual harassment, in which she alleges several disturbing communications from him.
The Tribunal resumed on May 5, where Francois Möller gave evidence which related to forensic data retrieved from two cellphone devices, a Samsung S20 and a Samsung A12, each belonging to Mbenenge and Mengo, respectively.
Another witness, forensic and legal linguist and researcher, Dr Zakeera Docrat, confirmed that the context in which emojis were sent to Mengo by Mbenenge depicted sexual acts.
The Tribunal hearing continues today.
chevon.booysen@inl.co.za