Latest news with #AndiswaMengo
IOL News
6 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Andiswa Mengo's death threat underscores the risks for women confronting harassment
Andiswa Mengo, who accuses Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge of sexual assault, has received a death threat in the form of a letter left in her office. Image: Office of the Chief Justice / N Mabusela The Women's Legal Centre, which is representing the Eastern Cape High Court judge's secretary Andiswa Mengo in her sexual harassment complaint against Judge President Selby Mbenenge, is condemning the recent death threat sent to Mengo. This is after it has been reported that Mengo received a handwritten note left at her desk at court on Friday, in which it was said, 'a bullet is waiting for you'. In a statement, the Women's Legal Centre confirmed the incident in which Mengo received a written death threat at her place of work. 'We can further confirm that this is not the first threat she has received since filing a complaint of sexual harassment against the Judge President of the Eastern Cape,' the centre said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The Judicial Conduct Tribunal is conducting a hearing into sexual harassment complaints against Mbenenge, which is due to resume on June 30. The legal centre, meanwhile, said that throughout the tribunal proceedings, it has consistently raised concerns about its client's safety and security. 'Following this latest threat, we have again raised the matter with her employer, the Office of the Chief Justice, as well as the Judicial Service Commission and the Tribunal panel,' the legal centre said. It stressed that the safety and well-being of Mengo and her family should be treated as a top priority. The legal centre said this incident reflects the precarious and dangerous position women find themselves in after reporting sexual harassment in the workplace. It added that this highlights the urgent need for victim-centred systems that prioritise physical and emotional protection. It said women should be able to speak out without fear and intimidation, or retaliation. 'The reality is that women who report sexual harassment are targeted and silenced. Ms Mengo's courage must be met with protection, not punishment,' the legal centre said. During the first sitting of the Judicial Conduct Tribunal, Mengo gave evidence to the effect that Judge Mbenenge used his position of power to sexually harass and intimidate her. She testified about a plethora of WhatsApp messages, accompanied by the exchange of emojis between them, many of a sexual nature. She also claimed that Judge Mbenenge has sent her a picture depicting his private part - a claim the judge president vehemently denied. He acknowledged the flirting between them but denied the sordid details as testified by her.
News24
6 days ago
- Health
- News24
MKP removes Shivambu; Mbenenge accuser threatened: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day. News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. Shivambu removed as MK Party secretary-general, deployed to Parliament Floyd Shivambu was removed as MK Party secretary-general. His visit to Shepherd Bushiri's church in Malawi violated the party's constitution. Shivambu will now be deployed to Parliament as an MP. Magashule's ex-PA's special plea: Judge rules court has no jurisdiction to try her Moroadi Cholota, Ace Magashule's former assistant, has avoided prosecution on graft charges related to the Free State asbestos removal tender. The Free State High Court upheld her special plea, challenging the lawfulness of her extradition from the United States. The court's decision was based on a Supreme Court of Appeal judgment that the power to request extradition lies with the justice minister, not the NPA. 'One bullet is waiting for you' – Death threat left on Mbenenge accuser's desk at court Andiswa Mengo, a judge's secretary who accused Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge of sexual harassment, received a death threat at her office. The threat warns her to withdraw her case against Mbenenge or face dire consequences, referencing the upcoming third round of the Judicial Conduct Tribunal hearing. The Office of the Chief Justice has reported the threat to the police; it will temporarily move Mengo to another location and has informed the tribunal's evidence leader. Spark Schools launches probe after toxic insecticide found in office coffee, milk Coffee and milk in the Spark Schools Rosebank office were found to be laced with the highly toxic insecticide terbufos, prompting internal and police investigations. A staff member suggested the tampering could be linked to dissatisfaction over potential redundancy of 195 posts due to financial pressures. Spark Schools has reported the incident to the police, initiated an internal investigation, and advised staff to bring their own supplies as a precaution. Shaunl/Getty Images SA's biggest beef group hit by foot-and-mouth in Gauteng A foot-and-mouth disease case was discovered at a Karan Beef feedlot in Gauteng, raising concerns for other producers. The Department of Agriculture is ordering vaccines from Botswana to mitigate the outbreak and prevent its spread in Gauteng. While the outbreak is unlikely to cause price increases for consumers, it may impact sector profitability due to export restrictions. Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images Jaden and THAT wink: 'Get over it,' says Springbok skipper Kolisi Siya Kolisi defended Jaden Hendrikse's behavior during the URC quarter-final shootout against Munster, dismissing accusations of unsportsmanlike conduct. Kolisi emphasised that banter and competitive interactions are normal in rugby, and that Hendrikse genuinely experienced cramp during the shootout. He urged people to 'get over it' and allow players to express themselves, as rugby is entertainment and not everyone can be the same. Frennie Shivambu/Gallo Images
Mail & Guardian
12-05-2025
- Mail & Guardian
Key CCTV footage missing in Mbenenge sexual harassment tribunal
Eastern Cape judge president, Selby Mbenenge. (Judges Matter) The The director of facilities and security management at the office of the chief justice, Prabagaran Naidoo, testified that he received CCTV footage from 14 and 16 November 2022 from the Mthatha high court. The complainant in the matter, 37-year-old court secretary Andiswa Mengo, has said she is unsure whether the alleged office sexual harassment by the judge occurred on 14 or 15 November 2022. She testified earlier that she fled The tribunal is in its second week after resuming this month from its initial sitting in January, during which Mengo endured eight days of cross-examination. Mengo says the Naidoo told the tribunal he 'can't say' what happened to the missing footage. Footage from 14 and 16 November 2022 was transferred to the Midrand office of the chief justice almost a year later, he said. According to Naidoo, he received a call from Norman Mabuza, the Eastern Cape court's head of security, after Judge Bantubonke Dakota requested to review footage from the 14th and 15th. 'In his affidavit, Judge Dakota says he viewed footage from 14 and 15 November. But the footage stored and transferred was of the 14 and 16 November,' counsel for Mengo, Nasreen Rajab-Budlender said. Naidoo acknowledged the discrepancy and confirmed that the only footage he requested to be downloaded and preserved was what Dakota had viewed. He said he realised the importance of the footage only after the story appeared in the media. Naidoo also testified that each court has a control room where footage is stored for 45 to 60 days, and may later be transferred to the office of the chief justice's central servers. Naidoo had asked that the relevant footage be couriered to his office in Midrand on a USB. 'Whether this evidence was tampered with, I cannot confirm,' he said, adding that he had told Mabuza at the time: 'If a judge took time to view the footage, it might amount to something later on. So just save it and keep it.' Naidoo admitted he cannot account for the missing footage of the 15th. His counsel, advocate Griffith Madonsela, pointed out that CCTV footage from 14 November shows Mengo walking past Mbenenge's office twice without entering. Dakota, in his affidavit, confirmed that in the footage he viewed, Mbenenge was seen arriving with a briefcase and leaving with it. He said she did not appear in the footage he reviewed. Both counsel for Mengo and Mbenenge were surprised the footage was missing and said it would have supported either one of their cases. The tribunal continues this week with counsel for Mbenenge, advocate Muzi Sikhakhane SC, saying he is ready to call his client to the witness stand as early as Tuesday morning.
Mail & Guardian
11-05-2025
- Mail & Guardian
Andiswa Mengo and the judge who could not read between the lines
Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge. (Nelius Rademan/ Foto24/Gallo Images) A case of judicial misconduct that experts say could have been resolved in six months has instead taken three years since the alleged sexual harassment of 37-year- old court secretary Andiswa Mengo started in 2021. The proceedings resumed in May after an initial sitting in January, during which Mengo endured eight days of cross-examination. She described the conduct she experienced from the judge as a persistent series of inappropriate comments, messages and an alleged incident of indecent exposure. The hearing has garnered public interest because of the The misconduct tribunal is of highly venerated Eastern Cape high court Judge President Selby Mbenenge, with close to 40 years in the legal fraternity, Legal experts say the case has far-reaching implications for women's rights in the workplace and justice system with regard to the credibility of the subtle and measured responses Mengo employed to rebuff Mbenenge's advances. Jeanne Bodenstein, chief executive of Thusa Consulting, which trains companies on sexual harassment policies, said women are socialised in South Africa's cultural setup to be obliging, particularly to older people. 'The truth is that women are doing this in their everyday lives, if not in the workplace, in public spaces or at home, and just about everywhere men and women mix. It's a skill that every woman sadly masters at a young age, because statistics tell us that women are often hurt and even killed for saying no,' she told the Mail & Guardian . As a junior employee and single mother, Mengo would not want to be seen as 'problematic' or 'difficult' while interacting with the most senior person in the province's judiciary, added Bodenstein. 'There is just no way any woman in her position would risk their job by offending or angering the boss she has to see almost every day. The best she could do for herself was to avoid, hint at a no, and when all else failed, as it did, placate,' she said. Mbenege is expected to use his day in the public hearing before the tribunal ends on 15 May to push back against Mengo's earlier testimony of disgust at the judge's in-person and WhatsApp advances. While Mengo claims Mbenenge failed to read between the lines of her indirect rejection, Muzi Sikhakhane, SC, representing the judge, said her 'playful' emojis contradicted her statement of repulsion. Digital forensic specialist Fascoi Moller testified this week that many of the Wise4Afrika director Brenda Madumise says organisations need to have clear protocols of how to conduct communications after work hours. Madumise told the M&G that women are often not sure how to react or respond when workplace contact crosses over to private life. She says while women don't want to appear rude, they later question whether they enabled the behaviour. 'That is the problem with this kind of thinking. When such harassment happens to victims they start to make the other person feel comfortable even with the intrusion,' said Madumise. 'You are more worried about the feelings of the other person more than yourself.' After the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) ruled there was a prima facie case for an investigation, former chief justice Raymond Zondo said Mengo's complaint ' The public hearings are at stage four of the JSC process. If found guilty, the commission may Evidence leader Salome Scheepers Mengo's counsel, Nasreen Rajab-Budlender, has stressed throughout the inquiry Mengo testified Mbenenge started showing interest in her at the office and subsequently sent sexually suggestive texts on WhatsApp. Mengo said she tried and failed to make her displeasure clear at the suggestive texts, inappropriate comments at the office and the judge exposing himself to her in his chamber. At one point he requested a half naked photo of her, which she rebuffed with wid- eyed emojis and followed up with questioning how he could say such things as an older married man. On Tuesday, linguistics specialist Zakeera Docrat testified that text emojis were used for non-standard sexualised purposes to depict sexual acts and a means to sexually harass. Bodenstein told the M&G that the increasing time lapse between Mbenenge sending messages and Mengo's answers seem to show that she grew increasingly avoidant. Similar to in-person interactions, Bodenstein says women usually try to protect themselves with the least amount of offence to the perpetrator, especially if this is a senior official Research and advocacy officer at Judges Matter Mbekezeli Benjamin said the public hearing has forced a reckoning in the legal profession and the judiciary about sexual harassment. Benjamin says there has been robust debate over the past three months since the public hearings began, which he hopes will spur concrete action to deal with the underlying issues. 'There have been numerous informal discussions alongside formal discussions that have taken place at events such as the International Association of Women Judges' Conference in early April, at a workshop hosted by the Johannesburg Bar's sexual harassment committee in mid-April and at the National Association Democratic Lawyers' AGM in early May,' he told the M&G. During Mengo's cross-examination, Scheepers highlighted that text messages were always initiated by Mbenenge while starting a neutral conversation, which eventually turned sexual. Counsel for the respondent highlighted Mengo initiated a conversation where she wished Mbenenge a happy father's day, which she stated she sent to other older men at the office. Although Mengo's responses were perceived as coy and ambiguous, her counsel have argued she was attempting to balance a thin line between rebuffing sexual advances while not souring the professional relationship During Mengo's cross-examination, Sikhakhane stated the tone of the texts changed when she asked whether Mbenenge was prepared to pay — after the judge requested half naked photos. Mengo says she was feeling annoyed and demeaned when he asked for the photos and this tactic was a way to deter him. Madumise told the M&G it was surprising the judiciary has not had an She said sexual harassment in the legal profession was most prevalent among candidate attorneys who depended on their principals to pass the bar and take on cases. Madumise said Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, who is leading the draft of an anti-sexual harassment policy, should setup a platform to launch a complaint anonymously where witnesses are called after an investigation, which would encourage more women to speak out. Benjamin said a written policy would also set up structures to assist in training and sensitising, rigorous investigation, support to victims and prosecution of perpetrators in a fair, speedy and transparent process. The tribunal heard testimony from court secretaries at the Mthatha and Gqeberha high courts, detailing how Mengo's initial complaint was handled — contrasting it with the later, commissioned complaint filed by the legal adviser at the Office of the Chief Justice. This distinction forms a key part of the argument Mbenenge's counsel plans to pursue in the coming week. Sikhakhane alleges Zondo has evidence that Mengo was coached to file a complaint as a way to damage Mbenenge's reputation. It is unclear whether Mbenenge will testify in his own defence, said Benjamin, adding that although it is an inquisitorial process, the tribunal can subpoena any witness — including Mbenenge himself — to answer any question. 'In light of his unique position as a senior leader in the judiciary, we do hope that the judge will voluntarily explain his version of events and assure the public that his conduct is fitting of a judge,' said Benjamin. Mengo has alleged that Mbenenge had a reputation for 'The boundaries between professional and personal lives are increasingly blurred and this requires work place policies and practices that clearly sets out boundaries as well as acceptable methods for communication,' said Bodenstein. Mengo maintains she
News24
08-05-2025
- Politics
- News24
‘Mutually destructive' versions: Ex-JSC official contradicts Mbenenge accuser's testimony
Eastern Cape High Court Judge President Selby Mbenenge has been accused of sexual harassment by Andiswa Mengo, who works as a judges' secretary in his court. A JSC Judicial Conduct Tribunal is conducting a gross misconduct investigation into Mengo's accusations, which Mbenenge vehemently denies. Former JSC law advisor Kutlwano Moretlwe has given evidence that fundamentally contradicts parts of Mengo's testimony. After claiming she'd forgotten that then-Chief Justice Raymond Zondo 'lost' the sexual harassment complaint made against Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge, a former Judicial Service Commission (JSC) law advisor has denied key aspects of his accuser's evidence. The differences between Kutlwano Moretlwe and High Court secretary Andiswa Mengo centre around whether Mengo completed her first sexual harassment complaint against Mbenenge on her own laptop (which Mengo denies doing, but Moretlwe says she did). The two women had markedly different accounts of how that statement was completed: Mengo says Moretlwe stayed in her hotel room until after midnight to complete the statement on Moretlwe's laptop, while Moretlwe says she left Mengo at her hotel at around 21:00, with the understanding she would complete the statement on her laptop before the next morning. The reason that this is important is because Mengo has denied accusations from Mbenenge's advocate Muzi Sikhakhane that – when she was asked to produce a second complaint on affidavit by Moretlwe – she copied much of her first complaint word for word. Mengo has given evidence that she relied on her WhatsApp chat history with Mbenenge to compile a complaint against him in Midrand in December 2022. Throughout that process, Mengo said, she was assisted by Moretlwe. Testifying about the pro forma affidavit, she said Moretlwe had asked her to fill it out after her first statement was 'misplaced'. Mengo maintained she had not had access to her first statement when she had completed this second statement. READ | Ex-JSC official denies Zondo was 'not satisfied' with Mbenenge sexual harassment complaint 'Is it still your testimony that you did not have a copy of the initial complaint?' Sikhakhane had asked Mengo, after pointing to a second example of this repetition. 'Yes, I maintain [that],' she said. On Thursday, Sikhakhane told Moretlwe that he wished to address 'the elephant in the room': the fact that her account of how Mengo's first sexual harassment complaint had been compiled, and the evidence given by Mengo, were 'mutually destructive'. 'Do you agree with me that these two versions are mutually exclusive,' Sikhakhane said. Sikhakhane added: One is untrue and it's either you who are not telling the tribunal the truth or Miss Mengo who did not tell the tribunal the truth Moretlwe again insisted that, while she had typed Mengo's statement on her own laptop when they compiled the secretary's complaint at the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) offices in Midrand, she gave a saved version of that statement to Mengo on a memory stick so she could complete it at her hotel. 'As I've explained, because it was too late, around past 9, I had to get home,' Moretlwe said. 'I then asked her, because we're not finished, can she continue typing, finalising the statement because it was a very, very long story, and even at the hotel, she would still get emotional as well.' Sikhakhane put it to Moretlwe that her version was supported by the fact that Mengo's second statement 'in certain parts… is the same as the initial one, including mistakes, including spaces between where the word ends and where the full stop is identical, absolutely identical throughout'. ALSO READ | Mbenenge's 'peeled banana' emoji to secretary was code for 'circumcised penis', expert testifies Sikhakhane will no doubt use that evidence to bolster Mbenenge's argument that Mengo was not an honest witness whose account of how she was sexually harassed by the married judge president should not be believed. Mengo's advocate Nazreen Rajab-Budlender has however drawn attention to apparent discrepancies in Moretlwe's evidence, including her claim that she remembered that Zondo had lost Mengo's statement after watching her testify about how it had been lost at the tribunal. Referring to an email that Moretlwe had sent to the JSC about the statement having been lost, Rajab-Budlender said it had been sent before Mengo testified about how her complaint had been compiled. It was only then that Moretlwe said she could be 'mistaken'. Rajab-Budlender subsequently told the law advisor: 'Ms Moretlwe, I must tell you that I find your evidence concerning and that I will argue that your version should not be accepted, particularly as it relates to Ms. Mengo in due course. Do you want to respond to that?' Moretlwe: 'I have no comment.' While admitting he had engaged in sexually loaded WhatsApp interactions with Mengo, Mbenenge insists they were consensual. He has also previously told the JSC that certain of Mengo's texts to him, which he described as playful, jovial and flirtatious, could reasonably suggest that she did not find his messages offensive or unwanted. As a 37-year-old at the time of Mbenenge's alleged harassment, Mengo was significantly younger than the 60-year-old married judge president, who frequently deleted his texts to her and asked that she do the same. She stressed throughout her evidence that he was her boss and she did not want to get into arguments with him over his sexual comments to her. She further claimed that a request she made for him to give her money was aimed at stopping him from persisting with his sexually laden demands – which included several requests for her to send him pictures. The hearing continues.
