This comes after two journalists were jailed for two years for writing and publishing articles also critical of CJ Michael Ramodibedi.
Alec Lushaba,
editor of the Observer on Saturday, wrote in the newspaper,
‘I am aware that in recent times, when the media has commented on issues that
touch upon the judiciary, it has attracted all sorts of reactions including
prosecution.
‘Let me state here
and now that neither jail nor persecution from the court will silence us in
performing our duties as responsible citizens. The day we would be indifferent
to the decisions or actions of the judiciary we would be all dead. As citizens
we are affected or impacted positively or negatively by what they do or don’t
do.
‘I am a born and
bred Swazi and proud of it. I offer no apologies for being one.’
He went on to
criticise the Chief Justice
for issuing a ‘Practice Directive’. It read, ‘Henceforth the estates of members
of the Royal family, princes, princesses and chiefs duly appointed by His
Majesty the King and iNgwenyama shall be distributed after consultation with
the King’s Office. By copy hereof the attention of the King’s Office is hereby
drawn to this Practice Directive.’
Lushaba commented,
‘In fact, the Chief Justice has no business in operational or legislative
matters. His is to uphold the Constitution and offer interpretation of the
law.’
He added, ‘What the
Chief Justice has done is tantamount to a decree. By writing and directing the
office of the Master of the High Court what to do with estates of princes,
princesses and chiefs was now usurping powers he does not enjoy, which are both
legislative and Executive. He has no business on such.’
The criticism of CJ
Ramodibedi comes two months after Bheki Makhubu, the editor of the Nation magazine, and writer and human
rights journalist Thulani Maseko, were jailed for two years after they wrote
and published articles critical of Ramodibedi.
Sentencing the pair
in July 2014 High Court Judge Mpendulo
Simelane said, ‘the Constitution does not grant an absolute
right of freedom of expression’.
In his judgment, Judge Simelane said by writing and publishing the
articles, ‘The Accused persons scandalized, insulted and brought to disrepute
the dignity and authority of the Chief Justice.’
See also
JOURNALISTS
JAILED TO DETER OTHERS
US BACKS
CONVICTED SWAZI JOURNALISTS
JUDGE RESTRICTS PRESS FREEDOM
SUPPORT FOR CONVICTED JOURNALISTS
WHAT CONVICTED JOURNALISTS WROTE
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2014/07/convicted-journalists-what-they-wrote.html
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