DEATH THREAT TO NEWSPAPER EDITOR

The editor of one of Swaziland’s independent newspapers and a senior reporter have received death threats because of a story they are working on involving the kingdom’s security forces.

The editor of the Times Sunday Innocent Maphalala and senior reporter on the paper Mfanukhona Nkambule have reportedly received threats of grievous bodily harm, ‘possibly even leading to death’, according to the Times of Swaziland newspaper.

It reported on Friday (13 January 2017), ‘The threats emanate from a story the publication is pursuing regarding one of the country’s security forces which has engaged in an action that has compromised this country internationally.’

The Times, which is a companion paper to the Times Sunday, gave no further details of the nature of the story.

It reported, ‘Further attempts to engage the Times Managing Editor, Martin Dlamini, and the Publisher, Paul Loffler, also failed to convince this publication to drop the story.  Even though the people who issued the threats remain faceless, they threatened that should the story see the light of day, the duo risked being eliminated.’

It added, ‘The warning was conveyed directly to the Times Sunday editor by a concerned citizen, who is a highly-placed government official and has insight to what could be going on behind the scenes. This citizen, who will not be named, pleaded with the editor to drop the story if he wanted to live.’

DISPUTE OVER REED DANCE SAFETY

Organisers have said 98,000 ‘maidens’ were transported in 80 buses to attend Swaziland’s Reed Dance where they would dance half-naked in front of King Mswati III. But newspapers and social media have disputed the figure.

Innocent Maphalala, the editor of the Times Sunday, one of the kingdom’s few independent newspapers, wrote this would mean each bus would have carried 1,225 girls on each journey or each bus would have to make 15 trips.

Newspapers reported each of Swaziland’s four regions was given 20 buses. The main Reed Dance ceremony took place on Monday (29 August 2016) at the Ludzidzini palace.

Reed Dance Overseer Hlangabeza Mdluli was reported in the Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati, saying that ‘safety was made a priority for the maidens’.

The SABC in South Africa quoted Mdludi saying, ‘We used buses to transport the girls this year, this shows that things have changed and we want our people to be safe.’

The emphasis on ‘safety’ followed a tragedy at last year’s Reed Dance when 13 women and children died when the open backed truck they were travelling was involved in a collision. The dead were thrown clear of the truck.

The number of dead was disputed, with the Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) putting the figure at 38.  

Photographs later revealed the maidens were being transported like cattle. The girls were forced to stand up in the back of an open truck cheek-by-jowl. There was no space to sit down or even to turn around. Photographs showed that at least sixty children were squashed onto the back of a single truck. Many of the trucks that transported the girls were usually used to move building materials. 

Tens of thousands of young girls from across Swaziland are forced to travel in similar trucks to attend the Reed Dance where they are expected to dance topless in front of Swaziland’s King Mswati, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch. Media in Swaziland routinely describe the girls that dance for the 48-year-old King as ‘virgins’ or ‘maidens.’

See also 

SWAZI MAIDENS LEARN POLITICAL SONGS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2016/08/swazi-maidens-learn-political-songs.html

RACISM IN SWAZILAND’S ‘TIMES SUNDAY’

One of Swaziland’s few independent newspapers the Times Sunday has made a concerted attack on ‘Asians’ in the kingdom, declaring them to be cheats and scoundrals.

It follows the decision of the Swazi House of Assembly to set up a committee to investigate illegal immigration into Swaziland and for the banning of entry permits to people from Asia.

 

The newspaper is breaking its own code of ethical conduct in reporting.

One of the anti-Asian cheerleaders is Innocent Maphalala, the editor of the Times Sunday. Writing in his own newspaper on Sunday (24 July 2016), he said there was an ‘influx’ of immigrants from Pakistan and India, but gave no statistics to support his comment.

I do not want to repeat much of Maphalala column as it would only spread his racist comments to a wider audience. However, he attacked Asian businesses as being cheats and he complained that shops were closed on Friday mornings, a time during the week when Muslims go to prayer.

Despite his fierce attacks he did not interview one Asian person for comment.

Maphalala’s comments break Article 6 of the Swaziland National Association of Journalists (SNAJ) Code of Conduct which says journalists must not ‘originate material which encourages discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, colour, creed, gender or sexual orientation’. He quoted nobody either in favour or against his proposition that Asians were cheats and is therefore responsible for originating the material.

Although it is important for SNAJ to have a code of conduct about racist reporting, unfortunately Article 6 lacks details and is not that useful for journalists who are trying to do the right thing.

This kind of racism is not confined to Swaziland. Journalists in other parts of the world have to confront racists and racist attitudes every day and have created their own codes of conduct. 

One that is more detailed than that of SNAJ is from the National Union of Journalists in the UK. 

Here is an extract from its guidelines that journalists in Swaziland might like to take note of.

 

Guidelines ratified by the National Union of Journalists (UK and Ireland) for all its members to follow when dealing with race relations subjects.

 

The NUJ believes that its members cannot avoid a measure of responsibility in fighting the evil of racism as expressed through the mass media. 

The NUJ reaffirms its total opposition to censorship but equally reaffirms its belief that press freedom must be conditioned by responsibility and an acknowledgement by all media workers of the need not to allow press freedom to be abused to slander a section of the community or to promote the evil of racism. 

The NUJ believes the methods and lies of the racists should be publicly and vigorously exposed. 

The NUJ believes that newspapers and magazines should not originate material which encourages discrimination on grounds of race or colour, as expressed in the NUJ's rule book and code of conduct. 

The NUJ believes that editors should ensure that coverage of race stories should be placed in a balanced context. 

Race reporting

Only mention someone’s race if it is strictly relevant. 

Do not sensationalise race relations issues.

Immigrant is often used as a term of abuse. Do not use it unless the person really is an immigrant. 

Be wary of disinformation. Just because a source is traditional does not mean it is accurate. 

When interviewing representatives of racist organisations or reporting meetings or statements or claims, journalists should carefully check all reports for accuracy and seek rebutting or opposing comments. The anti-social nature of such views should be exposed. 

Do not allow the letters column or 'phone-in' programmes to be used to spread racial hatred in whatever guise.

See also

PREJUDICE AGAINST MUSLIMS RIFE

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2007/08/prejudice-against-muslims-rife.html

ASIANS EVICTED FROM HOME

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2016/07/asians-evicted-from-home.html

 

ALL ASIANS BANNED FROM SWAZILAND

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2016/07/all-asians-banned-from-swaziland.html

PRESS ATTACK ON AIRPORT ‘CORRUPTION’

One of Swaziland’s few independent newspapers launched a scathing attack on a senior government civil servant after he refused to answer questions about the controversial Sikhuphe airport.

The airport, which was due to open in June 2010, but is still not completed, is at the centre of corruption allegations relating to contracts and tenders.

The Times Sunday reported that it had attempted to get Bertram Stewart. Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, to answer questions relating to concerns about tenders awarded worth about E12 million (US$1.2 million), but he refused to answer questions.

The newspaper reported (2 February 2014), ‘There was also the issue of five fire trucks valued at about E15 million. These were bought in South Africa in 2009, in anticipation of Sikhuphe being in operation by 2010 when South Africa hosted the World Cup. The heavy duty vehicles remained unused for a long time, resulting in two of them developing mechanical faults.

‘We questioned all these things and more. Now we are looking into the issue of maintaining the airport.’

The newspaper published a report without Stewart’s comments, saying he hung up the phone on its reporter.

It later reported, ‘He never wants to be bothered by journalists. He has said quite a few times that he is not accountable to us. We do not understand how that happens because we are not only journalists but citizens of this country. We are taxpayers. If he is not accountable to us, who is he accountable to?’

The Times Sunday added, ‘Last Sunday, we continued with our exposes of the wrongs going on at Sikhuphe International Airport. This First World facility is one of the Millennium Projects that have cost over E3 billion in the last decade or so. The budgeted amount was initially E500 million but, for various reasons, it hit the E3billion mark.

‘We questioned all these things and more. Now we are looking into the issue of maintaining the airport.’

The Times Sunday editor Innocent Maphalala told his readers, ‘I was surprised, therefore, when he appeared on both Channel Swazi and Swazi TV to deny a story we published last Sunday. 

‘There the PS was, holding three microphones while the television reporters, who probably had not read the story themselves, watched. Yes, they were watching because they did not ask him even one question.  Bertram was practically speaking to himself. It was more of a statement than an interview with the TV reporters.

‘He was “shocked” that we could even write about something regarding Sikhuphe without consulting either him or Percy Simelane [the government’s official spokesperson].

The newspaper reported that Stewart ‘featured prominently in most deliberations involving the airport contracts’.
 

Stewart has not always been so silent over Sikhuphe. Swazi Media Commentary has reported many times that he, had continually mislead the public about Sikhuphe airport and in particular about its readiness to open.

He told the public that it would be ready to open before the start of 2013. It was not and it did not.

In October 2010, Stewart said the airport would be open by the end of that year. It was not.

Stewart was at it again in February 2011, when he confidently told media the airport would be completed by June 2011. It was not. He also said a number of top world airlines (that he declined to name) were negotiating to use Sikhuphe. Nothing happened.

He returned to the theme two months later in April 2011 when this time he said the airport would be open by December 2011. But still no airport.

Media reports in Swaziland suggest the cost of Sikhuphe has been about E3 billion so far from an initial budget of E500 million.

See also

AIRPORT TERMINAL CAN’T HANDLE TRAFFIC

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2014/01/airport-terminal-cant-handle-traffic.html

 

KING’S AIRPORT HAS NO TAXIWAY

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2014/01/swazi-kings-airport-has-no-taxiway.html

GAY HATE JOURNALIST UNREPENTANT

Qalakaliboli Dlamini, the Swaziland journalist dropped by his newspaper after he attacked homosexuals in his column, has told his editors he is glad he did it and would do it again.

And, he says he is ready to launch a public campaign against homosexuals.

Qalakaliboli, until last week a regular columnist in the Times Sunday, told them, ‘I want to put it on record that I did write the article and I did state it without fear that I hate homosexuality with every fiber of hair on my body. Given the opportunity I would gladly do it again and I am not at all apologetic for my choice of words.’

He made his comments in an email sent to Times Sunday editor Innocent Maphalala and Times of Swaziland group managing editor Mbongeni Mbingo.

Qalakaliboli was ‘indefinitely’ suspended from the Times Sunday following what Maphalala called an ‘unprecedented’ number of complaints from readers. The Times of Swaziland readers’ ombudsman has been asked to investigate a complaint that Qalakaliboli broke the National Association of Journalists code of ethical conduct on hate speech.

In his email, which Qalakaliboli copied to a number of people and organisations, including Swazi Media Commentary, he wrote he would ‘stand up against the spread of homosexuality in my country, and which I will do even after I have stopped writing for the Times of Swaziland.’

He added, ‘I will continue to stand up against homosexuals and if need be, I will run a public anti-homosexual campaign.’

See also

‘TIMES’ GAY HATE – CALL TO UMBUDSMAN

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/05/times-gay-hate-call-to-ombudsman.html

NEW ATTACK ON ‘TIMES’ HATE SPEECH

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/05/new-attack-on-times-hate-speech.html

GAY HATE SPEECH WRITER SUSPENDED

The Swaziland writer at the centre of a gay hate speech storm has been suspended by his newspaper.

The Times of Swaziland acted against Qalakaliboli Dlamini when an ‘unprecedented’ number of readers complained at his article last week attacking homosexuals.

His weekly column did not appear yesterday (20 May 2012) and may never appear again.

Times Sunday editor Innocent Maphalala told his readers, ‘As Editor, I also take full responsibility for publication of the said article and unreservedly apologise to all our readers who found it in bad taste.’ 

He said, ‘We have received an unprecedented number of concerns regarding Qalakaliboli’s last article.’

A formal complaint to the Times of Swaziland readers’ ombudsman has been made against Dlamini for breaking the Swaziland National Association of Journalists code of ethical conduct.

Separately, Times Managing Editor Mbongeni Mbingo said, ‘We shall be having further discussions on a permanent way forward.’

See also

‘TIMES’ GAY HATE – CALL TO UMBUDSMAN

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/05/times-gay-hate-call-to-ombudsman.html

NEW ATTACK ON ‘TIMES’ HATE SPEECH

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/05/new-attack-on-times-hate-speech.html

WILL HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF?

Is history about to repeat itself at Swaziland’s Times Sunday?

The newspaper’s editor Innocent Maphalala today (17 July 2011) writes about reactions to the present economic meltdown in the kingdom, ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

In his article Maphalala quotes the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). This is what he says, ‘BBC news reported this past week that the economic crisis in Swaziland had been caused by profligate spending on the royal family, unbudgeted for wage increases, a decline in income because of the global economic problem and new trade rules in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).’

It’s the bit about the ‘by profligate spending on the royal family’ that is the problem. It’s a very clear criticism of the Swazi King. It’s not necessarily Maphalala’s personal view, but the message is there for all to see. The King is to blame (in part) for Swaziland’s economic mess.

Now, rewind to March 2007. That was when the Times Sunday published a report that included information sourced from the Afrol News agency in Norway.

This is what it said in 2007, ‘Swaziland is increasingly paralysed by poor governance, corruption and the private spending of authoritarian King Mswati III and his large royal family.’

Do you see the similarities between the two reports?

After the report appeared in March 2007, King Mswati went ballistic. He threatened to close down the whole Times of Swaziland newspaper group, to which the Times Sunday belongs, unless an abject apology was published.

He also demanded the sacking of Ken Rowley the Times Sunday features editor, for allowing the report to appear in the newspaper.

King Mswati got what he asked for.

On the Thursday (22 March 2007) following publication an ‘unreserved apology’ to the king was published on the front page of the Times of Swaziland (repeated in the following week’s Times Sunday). The apology signed by both the publisher and managing editor of the Times Group said the article ‘was disparaging to the person of His Majesty in its content, greatly embarrassed him and should not have passed editorial scrutiny.’

It went on, ‘Our newspapers take great care with matters regarding the monarch, being conscious always of the unbreakable link of the King with the Nation. What occurred is reprehensible and we will renew our vigilance in editorial matters with the utmost vigour.’

To make absolutely certain that there was no doubt of the newspaper group’s subservience to the King, it finished the apology, ‘Once again your Majesty, our sincere and humble apologies.’

So after today’s publication will history repeat itself at the Times Sunday? We’ll find out soon enough.

READERS SUPPORT SUSPENDED JUDGE

Times Sunday, Swaziland

3 July 2011

The response from newspaper readers in Swaziland to Judge Masuku’s suspension ‘has been overwhelming, with most viewing this unexpected development as a turning point (unfortunately for the worst) in our judiciary. Some of the letters and comments pouring in have been unusable because the writers are understandably agitated, shocked and worried,’ says Innocent Maphalala editor of the Times Sunday.

Here is one letter he felt able to publish.

SOURCE

Actually, Masuku protected the King

Sir,

I have had the opportunity to re-read the wording of Judge Masuku’s verdict. It’s now the subject of one of several sins levelled against him by the Chief Justice.

My careful reading of the verdict leads me to conclude that, contrary to the CJ’s views, Judge Masuku actually deserves a medal instead.

For what in particular? For upholding the esteemed office of the King in high regard.

In the verdict, the judge hails our King as a true statesman who espouses the principles of justice for all, a King who discourages anyone from taking justice into their own hands without due process of law. To substantiate his views, the good judge rightfully goes to the extent of quoting His Majesty’s many speeches where he had discouraged such unlawful acts, not only once, but many times. The Judge concludes by saying it is therefore inconceivable that the King may have authorised the unlawful dispossession of an ordinary man’s cattle without His Majesty’s courts having ruled for, or against the matter, whatever the case maybe.

In other words, the judge says the King is a statesman who always says what he means, and people’s actions (especially those of the police) shouldn’t misrepresent him, or make him appear as contradicting himself. My question is: what’s insulting about that? To me it makes the King look good. Judge Masuku used very good English and the CJ is likely to have made a mistake in translation, I mean when interpreting English into seSotho or into SiSwati because, like all of us, English is also his second language. I know in Swaziland, English is a passing subject, but I’m not too sure about Lesotho. I’d like to think this is a classic case of Lost in Translation, but it doesn’t look deliberate, unless my understanding of English is also just as bad.

The CJ is a good man with good intentions and I’m sure the PM can vouch for him. Another thing which doesn’t sit well with me is that the CJ, through the charges against the judge, has actually elevated himself to be the only true son of Swaziland, even above the Swazi Judge, and by extension all indigenous Swazis.

I wonder how baSothos would take a Swazi working in Lesotho telling one of the most respected basotho citizens there that his behaviour is insulting to His Majesty King Letsie?

Wouldn’t that sound vulgar or at least patronising?

In fact I even doubt the King of Lesotho would take it well either. Like any leader in the world, I’m sure he’d take exception to any foreigner trying to divide his nationals on patriotic grounds.

Most people there would ask, ‘who are you to say this about our own’? We are proud and we love our Swazi King, no doubt about that. I suppose the CJ loves his king in Lesotho too.

As in my home here, I’d be angry if my adopted brother were to tell me I hate my own ‘real’ father.

The second charge is that of an alleged affair, which is essentially a moral issue.

Why hasn’t the female Judge been charged? How do you prove the existence of a love affair?

The judges who take a drink here and there, will they be charged also for breaking a moral code? How about the judges who have relationships, if any, outside of marriage? I’m just asking the question of ’what if’? How about polygamists in the bench, if they’re there?

Why punish a Swazi for having humble ambitions of becoming a CJ one day? Is it wrong to have aspirations?

Very soon, people will be charged for contravening the sanitary laws, like forgetting to flush the toilet after using it.

The CJ has opened a can of worms here and it will hurt all Swazis.

I’ve a feeling the CJ will be enjoying his Swazi-acquired retirement benefits in the Mountain Kingdom when we begin to turn against each other because of this decision.

Honourbale CJ, please reconsider Sir.

Judge Masuku (and Phesheya -Ambassador) once successfully defended the PM against his alleged illicit affair with a prominent banker.

Today the judge has to defend himself against the same charge, and the irony is that the charges against him are likely to reach the PM’s office somehow. I say this because it is imporobable that the CJ would do anything this bold without the support of, or prompting by, the head of government generally. The judge must use the same arguments he used to successfully defend the PM, except that most people would vouch for the integrity of the judge.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate judge Bheki Maphalala for being promoted after only two years of experience in the bench.

He broke a record which even highly respected and internationally reputable judges before him failed to achieve.

We congratulate him. His record in the bench speaks for itself very loudly, at least to those who care to follow events in Swaziland. We must congratulate the wisdom of government too, because it’s through their support that he’s been promoted.

To the other judges, I’d like to say you can only lose something that you have but you cannot lose what you are. What you are is far important to God than man-made titles which often come with conditions which are out of step with your values.

Just when the land issue had died down, now we have to deal with the chaos in the judiciary. Will this persistent commotion ever end?

Tidwell

See also

THE JUDGE’S INSULT THAT WAS NOT

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/07/judges-insult-that-was-not.html