South African Judiciary
latest news & developmentsBess Nkabinde shuts down NPA’s push to lead its own evidence against Chauke
While the NPA argued the Nkabinde enquiry had become adversarial the panel chairperson Bess Nkabinde said the Prosecuting Authority cannot play referee in its own case
Nkabinde inquiry: former KZN DPP defends Chauke’s role in Cato Manor case
Advocate Moipone Noko said she supported and later took over the prosecution led by Andrew Chauke in the high-profile Cato Manor case
Inquiry battles to find witnesses
Evidence leaders compelled to ask for a postponement
Shamila Batohi opts out of Nkabinde inquiry, pending legal advice
The inquiry is discussing how to proceed with the withdrawal of the outgoing national director of public prosecutions, who is the main complainant
Judge hands down ruling three years late
For most of that time there was no record in the official report that tracks late judgments
Judiciary adopts sexual harassment policy to curb abuse of power
The policy prohibits consensual sexual intimacy in court buildings and discourages romantic relationships between members of the judiciary
Judge claims his actions were persuasive but evidence leader argues it was harassment
The evidence leader in the sexual harassment tribunal suggests Mbenenge’s accuser seemed to be distancing herself via the tone of her responses to his texts
Mbenenge says flirtatious texts with his accuser were sensual, not sexual
The Eastern Cape judge president denied sending nude photos and argued that text message exchanges with his accuser, Andiswa Mengo, reflected mutual interest, not harassment
Judge Selby Mbenenge’s former secretary says he was at the bank during alleged flashing incident
Zintle Nkqayi worked as Mbenenge’s secretary from 2020 until she resigned in April 2025, citing bad treatment by colleagues who supported his sexual harassment accuser, Andiswa…
Gender expert biased towards judge president Mbenenge, lawyer says
Mbenenge’s counsel Muzi Sikhakhane said his sexual harassment accuser Andiswa Mengo did not fit gender expert Lisa Vetten’s description of a woman who could not stand up for…
Expert says power imbalances shaped Mengo’s response to alleged sexual harassment by judge
Gender-based violence specialist Lisa Vetten tells a tribunal the complainant used ‘different strategies to communicate reluctance and unwillingness’
Judicial tribunal forces legal community to rethink sexual harassment
Experts say sexual harassment remains pervasive in South Africa’s legal system, especially among candidate attorneys and court secretaries
Key CCTV footage missing in Mbenenge sexual harassment tribunal
The director of facilities and security management at the office of the chief justice said he could not explain why the footage was not preserved
Female & Guardian | Andiswa Mengo and the judge who could not read between the lines
This week’s testimony explored whether Mengo’s WhatsApp replies reflected the careful diplomacy women use to reject senior officials without risking their careers
Joslin Smith: Could the state’s ‘unsophisticated’ witness sink its case?
Lourentia Lombaard, the accused-turned-state-witness in the kidnapping and trafficking trial, has repeatedly lied to police