SWAZILAND MPs BLOCK STATE-TV BUDGET

Members of Swaziland’s parliament refused to approve the budget of state-controlled Swazi TV following years of upheavals at the station.

They want an inquiry report from 2016 fully implemented before they will release E10 million.

It happened in the House of Assembly when MPs were debating the performance report of the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT).

At present Swazi TV has no chief executive after Bongani ‘S’gcokosiyancinca’ Dlamini’s contract expired in December 2017.

Dlamini headed a station in turmoil. It has failed to submit audited financial statements to the Auditor General since 2014. A ‘Commission of Inquiry’ was held in 2016 but its results were not made public. 

In April 2016, the Sunday Observer reported, ‘Dlamini was suspended together with the television station’s Chief Financial Officer Albert Masuku after reports that the station was going through a financial crisis as it is operating on a E40 million deficit.’

It said armed police were deployed at the station while an internal audit was underway.

Once the Commission of Inquiry was finished, Minister of Information Communication and Technology Dumsani Ndlangamandla told the Observer on Saturday in January 2017 ‘I can safely say the organisation was cleared of any mismanagement of funds, in fact the national broadcaster suffered a huge strain when their subvention was reduced without any other interventions like retrenchments or ways of cutting cost of running the national TV.’

The newspaper added, ‘Ndlangamandla revealed that the station had all along been given E47 million and then it was suddenly given E27 million which was suicidal. The minister said the station’s running costs per quarter was E6 million for salaries yet the station needs to cover other costs like content procurement and other running costs for a functional broadcaster.’

Swazi TV is one of only two television stations in Swaziland and is under state control. The other station, Channel S is privately-owned, but has a stated editorial policy to always support King Mswati, III who rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

Political parties are banned from taking part in elections in Swaziland and the King chooses the Prime Minister and senior cabinet posts.

Swazi TV is widely regarded as a propaganda station. In June 2015, a report tabled at the Swaziland Parliament revealed that censorship at Swazi TV was so tight that every month the Swaziland Government issued directives to the station about what events it should cover.

And, the Government had also banned ordinary members of parliament from appearing on the news programmes of Swazi TV.

At the time, Dlamini, the Chief Executive, said the instructions had been given to the station in advance of the 2013 national elections by then Minister of Information, Communication and Technology Winnie Magagula. 

His revelation was contained in a report tabled by Hhukwini MP Saladin Magagula, chairperson of the House of Assembly select committee investigating the media ban imposed on MPs by state-controlled media. 

According to a report in the Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati, Dlamini said, ‘It was communicated to the station that any activity outside of government’s calendar cannot be featured as news and that government’s calendar is sent monthly by the press officer in Cabinet and it is normally updated in between.’

In May 2010, Barnabas Dlamini the Prime Minister said Swazi Television and state-controlled SBIS radio should follow government policy and do what they were told. He was talking at an editors’ forum when he reminded his audience that government had dictated that state media were banned from promoting gambling activities, including Top Lotto, smoking and drinking alcohol.

He said the state media had no discretion in the matter. ‘Government’s stance involved is clear, so state-owned media cannot even use their discretion where this is concerned, but they are advised to simply ignore all gambling activities. Even if you are interviewing someone and that person mentions something about gambling, just cut the interview,’ the Swazi Observer reported him saying.

See also

MPs BLOCK STATE-RADIO FUNDS

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/mps-block-swazi-state-radio-funds.html

 

TV CENSORS PUBLIC SERVANTS MARCH

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/tv-censors-public-servants-march.html

NO LET UP ON SWAZI MEDIA CENSORSHIP

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2014/08/no-let-up-on-swazi-media-censorship.html

MPs BLOCK SWAZI STATE-RADIO FUNDS

Members of parliament in Swaziland have blocked funding to state-controlled radio because they say they are not being allowed on air.

One said the stations under the Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS) were being used for ‘character assassination’.

Nkwene MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini told the House of Assembly SBIS had been used to assassinate his character as a member of parliament.

The Swazi Observer newspaper, which is itself in effect owned by King Mswati III who rules Swaziland as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, reported on Tuesday (13 March 2018), ‘He said the national radio station was used to tell people how he was evil and disrespectful. The message was sent to the people in a way to de-campaign him. He strongly blamed the editors at SBIS for disseminating news meant to humiliate him.’

During a debate, Nkhaba MP Menzi Dlamini wanted to know if it was still proper for the radio station to be referred to as a national radio station or should it be the ‘Cabinet radio station’.

The Observer reported, ‘He informed his colleagues how he was once denied access to the radio station when he wanted to air an announcement to inform Nkhaba people about an event they were supposed to attend.’

Maphalaleni MP Mabulala Maseko said as MPs they were pioneers of development and also coordinated development activities. So they were supposed to be given access to state media to talk about developmental issues in their constituencies. 

The MPs resolved that they would not release E2 million (US$170,000) to renovate the SBIS studios. 

All radio in Swaziland, except one Christian station that does not broadcast news, is state controlled. The largest of only two television stations in the kingdom is also state-controlled.  

There is a long history of censorship. In August 2014, Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Dumisani Ndlangamandla said the Swaziland Government would not let up on its control of state radio,  He said state media existed primarily to serve the interests of the state.

In August 2012, the government announced that in advance of the national election in September 2013 radio would be banned from broadcasting news and information that did not support the government’s own agenda.

New guidelines also barred ‘public service announcements’ unless they were ‘in line with government policy’ or had been authorised ‘by the chiefs through the regional administrators’ or deputy prime minister’s office’.

The guidelines said the radio stations could not be ‘used for purposes of campaigning by individuals or groups, or to advance an agenda for political, financial popularity gains for individuals or groups’.

Strikes and anti-government demonstrations are usually ignored by broadcasters. Sometimes live radio programmes are censored on air. In July 2011, the plug was pulled on a phone-in programme when listeners started criticising the government for its handling of the economy. Percy Simelane, who was then the boss of SBIS, and went on to become the government’s official spokesperson, personally stormed the radio studio and cut the programme.  

In April 2011, Welile Dlamini, a long-time news editor at SBIS, challenged the Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini at an editors’ forum meeting on why the state radio station was told by the government what and what not to broadcast. Welile Dlamini said that at the station they were instructed not to use certain stories such as those about demonstrations by progressives and strike action by workers. The PM responded by saying editors should resign if they were not happy with the editorial policies they are expected to work with.

In March 2011, SBIS stopped broadcasting the BBC World Service Focus on Africa programme after it carried reports critical of King Mswati. 

In 2010, Swazi police told SBIS it must stop allowing people to broadcast information about future meetings unless the police had given permission. Jerome Dlamini, Deputy Director of the SBIS said this was to stop the radio station airing an announcement for a meeting that was prohibited.

He said, ‘It’s the station’s policy not to make announcements without police permission.’ 

In 2006, the Minister for Public Service and Information, Themba Msibi, warned the Swazi broadcasters against criticising the King. MISA reported at the time, ‘The minister’s threats followed a live radio programme of news and current affairs in which a human rights lawyer criticised the King’s sweeping constitutional powers.’

Human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, had been asked to comment on a visit by an African Union (AU) human rights team which was on a fact-finding mission to Swaziland.

‘In response, Maseko said that, as human rights activists, they had concerns about the King’s sweeping constitutional powers and the fact that he the King was wrongfully placed above the Constitution. He said they were going to bring this and other human rights violations to the attention of the AU delegation. 

‘Not pleased with the broadcast, the government was quick to respond. Msibi spoke on air the following day to sternly warn the media against criticising the King. He said the media should exercise respect and avoid issues that seek to question the King or his powers. 

‘The minister said his message was not directed only to radio but to all media, both private and government-owned. He said that in government they had noticed that there was growing trend in the media to criticise the King when he should be above criticism and public scrutiny,’ MISA reported.

Maseko, a long-time campaigner for human rights, was jailed for two years along with Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu in July 2014 for writing articles critical of the Swazi judiciary.

See also

NO LET UP ON SWAZI MEDIA CENSORSHIP

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2014/08/no-let-up-on-swazi-media-censorship.html
 

BILL LETS KING CONTROL BROADCASTING

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/03/bill-lets-king-control-broadcasting.html

TV CENSORS PUBLIC SERVANTS MARCH

Two journalists on Swaziland’s state-controlled television almost lost their jobs because they covered a protest march by public servants.

Swazi TV is only one of two television stations in Swaziland where King Mswati III rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch. The public servants were demonstrating against the government which the King picks himself. They wanted a 9.15 percent pay rise but the government offered them zero.

The Sunday Observer newspaper in Swaziland, which is in effect owned by the King, reported (8 October 2017) a source told them the two journalists were assigned to the march on 20 September 2017 by an editor but when they returned to the station they were summoned to see the station’s chief executive officer (CEO). 

The newspaper reported, ‘The source went on to claim that on the day of the protest march, the CEO was not at work but after he was informed that some journalists had gone to cover the march he rushed to the station where he summoned the reporters. 

‘The reporters were allegedly forced to name the supervisor who assigned them to cover the strike. However, in fear of causing trouble for their superiors the two reporters decided not to. 

‘Reasons given by the reporters for covering the strike was that they wanted to archive the protest action not to air it. Despite that explanation given by the journalists it is alleged that their superiors continued grilling them. They were then warned against their action.’ The newspaper said they nearly lost their jobs.

Swazi TV along with radio in Swaziland is strictly controlled by the Swazi Government.

In June 2015, a report tabled at the Swaziland Parliament revealed that censorship at Swazi Television was so tight that every month the Swaziland Government issued directives to the station about what events it should cover.

And, the government had also banned ordinary members of parliament from appearing on the news programmes of Swazi TV.

At the time, Bongani ‘Sgcokosiyancinca’ Dlamini, the Chief Executive of Swazi TV said the instructions had been given to the station in advance of the 2013 national elections by then Minister of Information, Communication and Technology Winnie Magagula. 

His revelation was contained in a report tabled by Hhukwini MP Saladin Magagula, chairperson of the House of Assembly select committee investigating the media ban imposed on MPs on state-owned media. 

According to a report in the Swazi Observer, at the time, Dlamini said, ‘It was communicated to the station that any activity outside of government’s calendar cannot be featured as news and that government’s calendar is sent monthly by the press officer in Cabinet and it is normally updated in between.’

Swazi TV is one of only two television stations in Swaziland and is under state control. The other station, Channel S is privately-owned, but has a stated editorial policy to always support King Mswati.

Censorship of radio and television in Swaziland is rife. In August 2014 Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Dumisani Ndlangamandla said the Swaziland Government would not let up on its control of state radio,  He said state media existed primarily to serve the interests of the state.

In August 2012 the government announced that in advance of the national election in September 2013 radio would be banned from broadcasting news and information that did not support the government’s own agenda.

All radio in the kingdom, except one Christian station that does not broadcast news, is state-controlled.

New guidelines also barred ‘public service announcements’ unless they were ‘in line with government policy’ or had been authorised ‘by the chiefs through the regional administrators’ or deputy prime minister’s office’.

The guidelines said the radio stations could not be ‘used for purposes of campaigning by individuals or groups, or to advance an agenda for political, financial popularity gains for individuals or groups’. 

There is a long history of censorship on state broadcasting in Swaziland. Strikes and anti-government demonstrations are usually ignored by broadcasters. Sometimes live radio programmes are censored on air. In July 2011, the plug was pulled on a phone-in programme when listeners started criticising the government for its handling of the economy. Percy Simelane, who was then the boss of SBIS, and went on to become the government’s official spokesperson, personally stormed the radio studio and cut the programme.  

In April 2011, Welile Dlamini, a long-time news editor at SBIS, challenged the Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini at an editors’ forum meeting on why the state radio station was told by the government what and what not to broadcast. Welile Dlamini said that at the station they were instructed to spike certain stories such as those about demonstrations by progressives and strike action by workers. The PM responded by saying editors should resign if they were not happy with the editorial policies they are expected to work with.

In March 2011, SBIS stopped broadcasting the BBC World Service Focus on Africa programme after it carried reports critical of King Mswati. In the same month, SBIS failed to cover the march by nurses that forced the Swazi Government into paying them overdue allowances. 

In 2010, Swazi police told SBIS it must stop allowing people to broadcast information about future meetings unless the police had given permission. Jerome Dlamini, Deputy Director of the SBIS said this was to stop the radio station airing an announcement for a meeting that was prohibited. 

He said, ‘It’s the station’s policy not to make announcements without police permission.’ 

In 2006, the Minister for Public Service and Information, Themba Msibi, warned the Swazi broadcasters against criticising the King.

MISA reported at the time, ‘The minister’s threats followed a live radio programme of news and current affairs in which a human rights lawyer criticised the King’s sweeping constitutional powers.’

Human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, had been asked to comment on a visit by an African Union (AU) human rights team which was on a fact-finding mission to Swaziland.

‘In response, Maseko said that, as human rights activists, they had concerns about the King’s sweeping constitutional powers and the fact that he the King was wrongfully placed above the Constitution. He said they were going to bring this and other human rights violations to the attention of the AU delegation. 

‘Not pleased with the broadcast, the government was quick to respond. Msibi spoke on air the following day to sternly warn the media against criticising the King. He said the media should exercise respect and avoid issues that seek to question the King or his powers. 

‘The minister said his message was not directed only to radio but to all media, both private and government-owned. He said that in government they had noticed that there was growing trend in the media to criticise the King when he should be above criticism and public scrutiny,’ MISA reported.

Maseko, a long-time campaigner for human rights, was jailed for two years along with Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu in July 2014 for writing articles critical of the Swazi judiciary.

See also

NO LET UP ON SWAZI MEDIA CENSORSHIP

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2014/08/no-let-up-on-swazi-media-censorship.html
 

BILL LETS KING CONTROL BROADCASTING

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/03/bill-lets-king-control-broadcasting.html
 

MOVE TO MERGE STATE BROADCASTERS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/03/move-to-merge-state-broadcasters.html
 

BROADCASTING IS NOT FOR THE PEOPLE

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/02/broadcasting-not-for-people.html
 

GOVT ‘TIGHTENS GRIP ON CENSORSHIP’

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/govt-tightens-grip-on-censorship.html

KING’S PAPER BACKS RADIO CENSORSHIP

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/11/kings-paper-backs-radio-censorship.html

GOVT BANS MPS FROM THE RADIO

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/11/govt-bans-mps-from-radio.html

NEW RADIO CENSORSHIP RULES RELEASED 
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/08/new-radio-censorship-rules-released.html

NO CHANCE OF OPEN BROADCASTS

A call by the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) for the Swazi Government to open up television and radio to critical voices will certainly fall on deaf ears.

TUCOSWA said this would allow important issues affecting the kingdom to be addressed.

Radio and television in Swaziland, where King Mswati rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, is highly censored. 

In June 2015, a report tabled at the Swaziland Parliament revealed that censorship at Swazi Television was so tight that every month the Swaziland Government issued directives to the station about what events it should cover.

And, the Government had also banned ordinary members of parliament from appearing on the news programmes of Swazi TV.

At the time, Bongani ‘Sgcokosiyancinca’ Dlamini, the Chief Executive of Swazi TV said the instructions had been given to the station in advance of the 2013 national elections by then Minister of Information, Communication and Technology Winnie Magagula. 

His revelation was contained in a report tabled by Hhukwini MP Saladin Magagula, chairperson of the House of Assembly select committee investigating the media ban imposed on MPs on state-owned media. 

According to a report in the Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati, Dlamini said, ‘It was communicated to the station that any activity outside of government’s calendar cannot be featured as news and that government’s calendar is sent monthly by the press officer in Cabinet and it is normally updated in between.’

Swazi TV is one of only two television stations in Swaziland and is under state control. The other station, Channel S is privately-owned, but has a stated editorial policy to always support King Mswati.

 

Censorship of radio and television in Swaziland is not new. In August 2014 Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Dumisani Ndlangamandla said the Swaziland Government would not let up on its control of state radio,  He said state media existed primarily to serve the interests of the state.

In August 2012 the government announced that in advance of the national election in September 2013 radio would be banned from broadcasting news and information that did not support the government’s own agenda.

All radio in the kingdom, except one Christian station that does not broadcast news, is state-controlled.

New guidelines also barred ‘public service announcements’ unless they were ‘in line with government policy’ or had been authorised ‘by the chiefs through the regional administrators’ or deputy prime minister’s office’.

The guidelines said the radio stations could not be ‘used for purposes of campaigning by individuals or groups, or to advance an agenda for political, financial popularity gains for individuals or groups’. 

There is a long history of censorship on state broadcasting in Swaziland. Strikes and anti-government demonstrations are usually ignored by broadcasters. Sometimes live radio programmes are censored on air. In July 2011, the plug was pulled on a phone-in programme when listeners started criticising the government for its handling of the economy. Percy Simelane, who was then the boss of SBIS, and went on to become the government’s official spokesperson, personally stormed the radio studio and cut the programme.  

In April 2011, Welile Dlamini, a long-time news editor at SBIS, challenged the Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini at an editors’ forum meeting on why the state radio station was told by the government what and what not to broadcast. Welile Dlamini said that at the station they were instructed to spike certain stories such as those about demonstrations by progressives and strike action by workers. The PM responded by saying editors should resign if they were not happy with the editorial policies they are expected to work with.  

In March 2011, SBIS stopped broadcasting the BBC World Service Focus on Africa programme after it carried reports critical of King Mswati III. In the same month, SBIS failed to cover the march by nurses that forced the Swazi Government into paying them overdue allowances. 

In 2010, Swazi police told SBIS it must stop allowing people to broadcast information about future meetings unless the police had given permission. Jerome Dlamini, Deputy Director of the SBIS said this was to stop the radio station airing an announcement for a meeting that was prohibited. 

He said, ‘It’s the station’s policy not to make announcements without police permission.’ 

In 2006, the minister for public service and information, Themba Msibi, warned the Swazi broadcasters against criticising the King.

MISA reported at the time, ‘The minister’s threats followed a live radio programme of news and current affairs in which a human rights lawyer criticised the King’s sweeping constitutional powers.’

Human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, had been asked to comment on a visit by an African Union (AU) human rights team which was on a fact-finding mission to Swaziland.

‘In response, Maseko said that, as human rights activists, they had concerns about the King’s sweeping constitutional powers and the fact that he the King was wrongfully placed above the Constitution. He said they were going to bring this and other human rights violations to the attention of the AU delegation. 

‘Not pleased with the broadcast, the government was quick to respond. Msibi spoke on air the following day to sternly warn the media against criticising the King. He said the media should exercise respect and avoid issues that seek to question the King or his powers. 

‘The minister said his message was not directed only to radio but to all media, both private and government-owned. He said that in government they had noticed that there was growing trend in the media to criticise the King when he should be above criticism and public scrutiny,’ MISA reported.

Maseko, a long-time campaigner for human rights, was jailed for two years along with Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu in July 2014 for writing articles critical of the Swazi judiciary.

Richard Rooney

See also

NO LET UP ON SWAZI MEDIA CENSORSHIP

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2014/08/no-let-up-on-swazi-media-censorship.html
 

BILL LETS KING CONTROL BROADCASTING

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/03/bill-lets-king-control-broadcasting.html
 

MOVE TO MERGE STATE BROADCASTERS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/03/move-to-merge-state-broadcasters.html
 

BROADCASTING IS NOT FOR THE PEOPLE

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/02/broadcasting-not-for-people.html
 

GOVT ‘TIGHTENS GRIP ON CENSORSHIP’

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/govt-tightens-grip-on-censorship.html

KING’S PAPER BACKS RADIO CENSORSHIP

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/11/kings-paper-backs-radio-censorship.html

GOVT BANS MPS FROM THE RADIO

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/11/govt-bans-mps-from-radio.html

NEW RADIO CENSORSHIP RULES RELEASED

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/08/new-radio-censorship-rules-released.html

GOVT HAS TOTAL CONTROL OF TV NEWS

Censorship at Swazi TV is so tight that every month the Swaziland Government issues directives to the station about what events it should cover.

And, the Government has also banned ordinary members of parliament from appearing on the news programmes of Swazi TV.

This was revealed in a report tabled at the Swaziland Parliament.

Bongani ‘Sgcokosiyancinca’ Dlamini, the Chief Executive of Swazi TV said the instructions had been given to the TV station in advance of the 2013 national elections by then Minister of Information, Communication and Technology Winnie Magagula. 

His revelation was contained in a report tabled by Hhukwini MP Saladin Magagula, chairperson of the House of Assembly select committee investigating the media ban imposed on MPs on state-owned media. 

According to a report in the Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by absolute monarch King Mswati III, Dlamini said, ‘It was communicated to the station that any activity outside of government’s calendar cannot be featured as news and that government’s calendar is sent monthly by the press officer in Cabinet and it is normally updated in between.’

Dlamini also said there was a ban on MPs appearing on the news and this ban had not been lifted.

He said the ban had meant to stop MPs appearing on TV during the run-up to the September 2013 national election. In Swaziland, political parties are banned from taking part in elections and all candidates stand as individuals. The ban was not lifted after the election.

Dlamini reportedly said that under the circumstance there was very little that they could do.

Swazi TV is one of only two television stations in Swaziland and is under state control. The other station, Channel S is privately-owned, but has a stated editorial policy to always support King Mswati.

 

Censorship of radio and television in Swaziland is not new. In August 2014 Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Dumisani Ndlangamandla said the Swaziland Government would not let up on its control of state radio,  He said state media existed primarily to serve the interests of the state.

In August 2012 the government announced that in advance of the national election in September 2013 radio would be banned from broadcasting news and information that did not support the government’s own agenda.

All radio in the kingdom, except one Christian station that does not broadcast news, is state-controlled.

New guidelines also barred ‘public service announcements’ unless they were ‘in line with government policy’ or had been authorised ‘by the chiefs through the regional administrators’ or deputy prime minister’s office’.

The guidelines said the radio stations could not be ‘used for purposes of campaigning by individuals or groups, or to advance an agenda for political, financial popularity gains for individuals or groups’. 

There is a long history of censorship on state broadcasting in Swaziland. Strikes and anti-government demonstrations are usually ignored by broadcasters. Sometimes live radio programmes are censored on air. In July 2011, the plug was pulled on a phone-in programme when listeners started criticising the government for its handling of the economy. Percy Simelane, who was then the boss of SBIS, and went on to become the government’s official spokesperson, personally stormed the radio studio and cut the programme.  

In April 2011, Welile Dlamini, a long-time news editor at SBIS, challenged the Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini at an editors’ forum meeting on why the state radio station was told by the government what and what not to broadcast. Welile Dlamini said that at the station they were instructed to spike certain stories such as those about demonstrations by progressives and strike action by workers. The PM responded by saying editors should resign if they were not happy with the editorial policies they are expected to work with.  

In March 2011, SBIS stopped broadcasting the BBC World Service Focus on Africa programme after it carried reports critical of King Mswati III. In the same month, SBIS failed to cover the march by nurses that forced the Swazi Government into paying them overdue allowances. 

In 2010, Swazi police told SBIS it must stop allowing people to broadcast information about future meetings unless the police had given permission. Jerome Dlamini, Deputy Director of the SBIS said this was to stop the radio station airing an announcement for a meeting that was prohibited. 

He said, ‘It’s the station’s policy not to make announcements without police permission.’ 

In 2006, the minister for public service and information, Themba Msibi, warned the Swazi broadcasters against criticising the King.

MISA reported at the time, ‘The minister’s threats followed a live radio programme of news and current affairs in which a human rights lawyer criticised the King’s sweeping constitutional powers.’

Human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, had been asked to comment on a visit by an African Union (AU) human rights team which was on a fact-finding mission to Swaziland.

‘In response, Maseko said that, as human rights activists, they had concerns about the King’s sweeping constitutional powers and the fact that he the King was wrongfully placed above the Constitution. He said they were going to bring this and other human rights violations to the attention of the AU delegation. 

‘Not pleased with the broadcast, the government was quick to respond. Msibi spoke on air the following day to sternly warn the media against criticising the King. He said the media should exercise respect and avoid issues that seek to question the King or his powers. 

‘The minister said his message was not directed only to radio but to all media, both private and government-owned. He said that in government they had noticed that there was growing trend in the media to criticise the King when he should be above criticism and public scrutiny,’ MISA reported.

Maseko, a long-time campaigner for human rights, was jailed for two years along with Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu in July 2014 for writing articles critical of the Swazi judiciary.

See also

NO LET UP ON SWAZI MEDIA CENSORSHIP

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2014/08/no-let-up-on-swazi-media-censorship.html
 

BILL LETS KING CONTROL BROADCASTING

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/03/bill-lets-king-control-broadcasting.html
 

MOVE TO MERGE STATE BROADCASTERS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/03/move-to-merge-state-broadcasters.html
 

BROADCASTING IS NOT FOR THE PEOPLE

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/02/broadcasting-not-for-people.html
 

GOVT ‘TIGHTENS GRIP ON CENSORSHIP’

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/govt-tightens-grip-on-censorship.html

KING’S PAPER BACKS RADIO CENSORSHIP

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/11/kings-paper-backs-radio-censorship.html

GOVT BANS MPS FROM THE RADIO

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/11/govt-bans-mps-from-radio.html

NEW RADIO CENSORSHIP RULES RELEASED

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/08/new-radio-censorship-rules-released.html

LAW SOCIETY TAKES ON TOP JUDGES

The Law Society of Swaziland is taking on the kingdom’s judiciary, arguing that King Mswati III has appointed judges in violation of the constitution.

An attempt to challenge the appointment as a High Court Judge of Mpendulo Simelane failed on Friday (1 August 2014) when a case at the High Court was dismissed before the Law Society’s lawyers arrived at the court.

The Law Society argues that Simelane is too inexperienced to be a High Court Judge. It says the constitution states that a High Court Judge must have at least 10 years’ experience in legal practice. The Law Society says Simelane only has five years’ experience, which the judge disputes.

In Swaziland, King Mswati rules as an absolute monarch and he chooses the judges. Critics say that Swazi judges tend to do the bidding of the King, rather than uphold the constitution.

The King reappointed Michael Ramodibedi as Chief Justice in contravention of the constitution that states the holder of this position should be a Swazi. Ramodibedi comes from Lesotho.

The three judges on the High Court bench in the Simelane case were themselves inexperienced. The chair, Judge Abande Dlamini, sits in the Industrial Court and had been sworn in as an acting High Court Judge only the day before.

The other two judges on the bench, Justices Mbuso Simelane and Bongani Dlamini are also only acting judges.

Together they dismissed the Law Society’s case and awarded punitive damages against the organisation when at 9.30am the case was called three times and the Law Society failed to answer. The Law Society’s legal team arrived at the court 15 minutes later.

The Law Society is to appeal the decision. Meanwhile, it is also to challenge the appointment of Judge Abande Dlamini, because, as with Simelane, Dlamini has not been a legal practitioner for at least 10 years.

It also says that Justices Mbuso Simelane and Bongani Dlamini should not hear a case brought by the Law Society because they are themselves members of that organisation.

Judge Mpendulo Simelane was criticised by the United States, the European Union and many human right organisations across the world last month when he sentenced a magazine editor Bheki Makhubu and human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko to two years imprisonment after they wrote and published articles critical of the judiciary in general and Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi in particular.

Following the dismissal of the Law Society’s application, the Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati III, reported that permanent High Court judges were available to hear the case and it was not necessary to have acting judges on the bench.

It speculated that Chief Justice Ramodibedi did not trust some of the permanent High Court judges. 

The newspaper reported that in May 2014 Ramodibedi issued warrants for the arrest of three High Court judges, but had to withdraw them after Supreme Court judges threatened to resign if the arrests went ahead.

The newspaper reported, ‘The move to sideline the judges is consistent too with the CJ’s recent interview in one of the tabloid weekly publications that some judges were being used to overthrow the Monarch and he would not allow them whilst he was still in charge.

‘This recent move by the CJ is a vote of no confidence to the rest of the judges of the High Court to listen to such an application,’ the newspaper reported.

See also

OSISA ON SWAZI JUDICIAL CRISIS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/osisa-on-swazi-judicial-crisis.html

TRAVEL WRITER ‘WILL TELL THE TRUTH’

The Swaziland Tourism Authority (STA) is cock-a-hoop that UK journalist Mike Unwin is to write a travel book on the kingdom.

The book will be published ‘courtesy of the STA’, according to the Swazi Observer, the newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati III.

Unwin is an experienced journalists and has had many articles published across the world. In 2009, he was in Swaziland on a press trip arranged by STA.

According to the Observer, Bongani Dlamini, STA Marketing Manager, said he had confidence in Unwin, stating that his research would be extensive enough to give a true reflection of the country. ‘We are confident that his research over the month long period in which he will be in the country will be extensive enough to give a true reflection of the Kingdom of Swaziland’, he said.

I have some confidence that Dlamini is correct and Unwin will ‘give a true reflection’ of Swaziland.

Here’s part of what Unwin wrote in a travel article in the Independent newspaper, UK, after his 2009 trip to Swaziland.

‘Certainly the current monarchy could do with its defenders. While democracy has taken root across the rest of southern Africa, political parties remain outlawed in Swaziland. Indeed, a new constitution approved in 2005 enshrined the king’s powers to appoint the prime minister, the cabinet and judiciary. It is claimed that seven out of 10 people live below the poverty line.

‘Meanwhile Mswati has not been the agent of social change that some had hoped for, continuing to snap up wives from among his subjects (13 and counting), and displaying an appetite for cars and palaces that suggests he does not share his late father's ascetic tendencies.

‘Small wonder then that the extravagant 40/40 celebrations held last September [2008] to celebrate the nation's simultaneous 40th anniversary of independence and the king's 40th birthday did not go down well in more progressive quarters.

‘Rumblings about the royal wives’ shopping trip to Dubai and a new fleet of Mercedes cars bought for the occasion culminated in protest marches through the capital. Some saw the spectacular pageantry, in which thousands of royal subjects donned ceremonial leopard skins and turaco feathers to hail their monarch, as mere orchestrated jubilation: the manipulation of culture for political gain.’

Unwin will arrive on Saturday (19 February 2011) and is expected to leave on 19 March.

See also

SWAZILAND KING PUTS OFF VISITORS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2009/02/swaziland-king-puts-off-visitors.html