Mbenenge fights JSC bid to recommend that Parliament impeach him

Eastern Cape judge president, Selby Mbenenge. (Judges Matter)

Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge has approached the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, on an urgent basis to block the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) from recommending his impeachment to Parliament.

Mbenenge is seeking to interdict the JSC’s finding of gross misconduct and have the commission’s decision and the earlier tribunal report reviewed and set aside.

In March, the JSC rejected the Judicial Conduct Tribunal’s conclusion that Mbenenge’s behaviour in the sexual harassment complaint, brought by court secretary Andiswa Mengo, amounted to misconduct.

Instead, the commission found that his actions constituted gross misconduct because of the serious disregard for workplace power dynamics.