Mbenenge's heart emojis were indicative of romantic feelings towards Mengo, tribunal told
Mbenenge sent red heart emojis to High Court secretary, Andiswa Mengo, in 2021, which Docrat has described as a sign of affection.
The Judicial Conduct Tribunal during the hearings into the sexual harassment allegations against Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - Forensic and legal linguist, Dr Zakeera Docrat, told the Judicial Conduct Tribunal that the emojis sent by Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge to a junior staffer in the division were indicative of romantic feelings.
Mbenenge sent red heart emojis to high court secretary, Andiswa Mengo, in 2021, which Docrat described as a sign of affection.
She testified before the judicial body in its probe of sexual harassment allegations that Mengo made against the Eastern Cape’s top judge.
Docrat was asked what the meaning behind the emojis were after Mbenenge sent three of them to Mengo.
"Chair, if you just send a text message like the emoji with the red heart with no text, it will appear big, like it does now in the text that we’re seeing, and again, the red heart is a sign of warmth, it’s a sign of love, and in this context, it’s a sign of romantic feelings."