Mbenenge struggles to account for some of the meanings he attached to emojis he sent to Mengo
The judge president was quizzed by the Judicial Conduct Tribunal panel on the connotations linked to emojis he sent to Mengo.
Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge on the witness stand at the Judicial Conduct Tribunal probing allegations of misconduct against him on 8 July 2025. Picture: Sphamandla Dlamini/EWN
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC DETAILS OF A SEXUAL NATURE
JOHANNESBURG - Eastern Cape top judge, Selby Mbenenge, has struggled to account for some of the meanings he attached to messages he sent to high court secretary, Andiswa Mengo.
The judge president was quizzed by the Judicial Conduct Tribunal panel on the connotations linked to emojis he sent to Mengo.
Mbenenge told the tribunal that his online interactions with the junior staffer were of a "deep" sexual nature.
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He testified before the fact-finding body on Tuesday as it continued its misconduct probe against him.
He is accused of making unwanted sexual advances towards Mengo between 2021 and 2022.
It was on 18 July 2021 when Mengo alerted Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge of her leave of absence due to stress after her altercation with the court manager.
After some exchanges, the judge president said: "I must come and give you a boost," and inserted an emoji of a syringe.
It was previously testified by forensic and legal linguist, Dr Zakeera Docrat, that this was meant to depict a penis.
Probed by his legal counsel, Advocate Muzi Sikhakhane, on whether he used it in this fashion, Mbenenge’s response was "possibly", much to the dissatisfaction of tribunal chairperson, retired Judge President Bernard Ngoepe.
Ngoepe: "You should know. 'Possibly' is not good enough an answer, I'm sorry."
Mbenenge: "What I’m trying to say…"
Ngoepe: "Counsel is asking you, with this symbol of an injection, could it be that you meant penis?"
Mbenenge: "That’s exactly…"
Ngoepe: "Did you mean that?"
Mbenenge: "Yes. I could mean that. I could mean that. That’s my answer."
Mbenenge then said that he did not associate an emoji of a syringe with the male private part but did not dispute experts who linked it to the body part.
This, because he, soon after, continued with texts of a sexual nature.