The Judiciary Service Commission (JSC) is proposing that President Cyril Ramaphosa suspend the President of the Eastern Cape Judiciary, Selby Mbenenge, while Parliament considers whether he should be removed from office after being found guilty of misconduct.
The JSC announced the decision in a press release on Monday.
It said on July 7, 2026, the commission — without members appointed by the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces — met in terms of section 20(1) of the Judicial Service Commission Act 9 of 1994 to consider written comments on whether it should advise Ramaphosa to suspend Mbenenge from work in terms of section 177(3) of the Constitution.
“At this meeting, the JSC decided to advise the president to suspend Mbenenge until a decision is taken by Parliament as stipulated in section 177 of the Constitution,” said the statement.
The recommendation follows legal action taken by Mbenenge after the JSC found him guilty of gross misconduct and recommended his removal from office.
Mbenenge previously went to the North Gauteng High Court seeking an urgent court order to stop the implementation of the JSC decisions.
Court documents filed on June 5, 2026 show that Mbenenge initiated the process of reviewing the decision against the JSC, the Judicial Conduct Tribunal (JCT), the Speaker of Parliament, Parliament, the president and the juvenile court worker, Ms. Andiswa Mengo.
The petition calls for a temporary suspension and a full review of the decisions made against him.
The JSC concluded that Mbenenge’s conduct, including attempting to have a relationship with Ms Mengo (a low-ranking court official), was “completely inappropriate” and disgraceful for a senior judge.
The complaint is based on allegations made by Ms Mengo, that Mbenenge sexually assaulted her between June 2021 and November 2022.
