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Judge President Selby Mbenenge at the Judicial Conduct Tribunal in Johannesburg on 21 October 2025.
Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge has told the Judicial Conduct Tribunal that the case against him lacks evidence of sexual harassment and cautioned against setting a bad precedent by relying on speculation.
The tribunal, which sat down in Johannesburg on Tuesday, heard closing arguments in the sexual harassment case brought by court secretary Andiswa Mengo against Mbenenge.
Judgment in the matter has been reserved, and the tribunal will submit its findings to the Judicial Service Commission.
Advocate Muzi Sikhakhane, who represented Mbenenge, argued that the conversations between the judge president and Mengo were consensual and not proof of harassment.
“I think it would be a bad precedent, frankly, chair, to decide in a matter of this nature that we must decide on somebody’s guilt and impeachment from their career on a surmise. Nobody must be sexually harassed, but nobody must be falsely accused of sexual harassment by two adults who may have changed their mind post-factual.”
