Media
Institute of Southern Africa Swaziland
Statement,
12 April, 2013
Media
Complaints Commission open for business
A
media complaints commission for print news is now operating in Swaziland, after
almost ten years of planning and discussion. Members of the public can now
contact a media ombudsman who, along with a panel, will decide whether
corrective action should be taken or the complaint should be taken to
mediation.
“It’s
a good thing,” says Vuyisile Hlatshwayo, national director at the Media
Institute of Southern Africa in Swaziland (MISA-Swaziland). “At least now
people will have their complaints and grievances addressed.” Hlatshwayo also
said if all goes to plan it will show that the media is now accountable to the
people.
It
is thought that the media complaints commission (MCC) has begun operating now
because the government has threatened to pass a slew of communications bills
before their term ends in August 2013; a provision in one of the bills might
lead to a statutory complaints council if there is no operating complaints council
in place – a scenario most people in the media want to avoid.
The
newly appointed ombudsman is Jabu Matsebula, who is currently serving as
secretary general of the Swaziland Editor’s Forum and is a former United
Nations communications officer in Swaziland. People can contact Matsebula to
lodge their complaints via email (ombudsman@realnet.co.sz) or via phone, or can
arrange to meet him in person at the MISA-Swaziland office.
The
MCC will remain in an ‘introductory phase’ at MISA-Swaziland until December
2013, at which point the print media houses, who are helping to fund the
operation, will decide if they want make the commission permanent.
MISA-Swaziland is assisting the MCC with its overheads during this introductory
phase.
“It’s
a very important development given [the MCC] has been in the works for a
decade,” said Matsebula. The new ombudsman said it is
important not only because it will allow mediation to take place where
necessary, but also because a structure is now in place that will give confidence
to people who feel they have been wronged by the media, or simply allow people
the opportunity to correct misinformation.
See
also
THE
STATE OF SWAZI JOURNALISM
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