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.’

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

PAPER CENSORS CHIEF JUSTICE CRITICISM

The Times Sunday newspaper in Swaziland has once again censored itself and in so doing has completely misrepresented is regular columnist Musa Hlophe.

Hlophe, who is the coordinator of the Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations, a prodemocracy group, writes for the newspaper every week. On 8 June 2014 the Times deleted references about Swazi Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi from the article.

Hlophe wrote a critical assessment of the CJ, who is from Lesotho and is under increasing pressure from democrats to stand down as the judiciary in the kingdom is in crisis.

However, the only part of the assessment the newspaper published was this: ‘You know, I have always admired and respected the person of Chief Justice Ramodibedi.  I have always considered him a good lawyer and a person who just happens to serve a wrong master in the name of the Government of Swaziland, but always trusted him because of his Christian background: he is a devout Catholic, and Catholics preach social justice from their pulpits!’

Here is the full text from the article that the Times Sunday felt its readers were not entitled to see.

‘Secondly, I wish to express my grave concerns about what one newspaper attributed to His Lordship, the Chief Justice of the Kingdom of ESwatini. If the paper has correctly quoted him, it is alleged that he made this startling allegation that there is a conspiracy to overthrow the king of Swaziland, His Majesty King Mswati 111!  Headlined:" Secret Mission to dethrone King:" the articles talks of plotters to have even polluted the judiciary, and that he is ready to deal with these. I have waited for reactions from both the Prime Minister, in his capacity as Minister of Police and the Minister of Justice, who is the political head the judiciary, but, sadly, there has been no comment or correction of this mischievous statement.

‘Why do we, as Swazis, have to be told by a foreigner about the security threats to our King? Does the Chief Justice, who seems to have more problems in his own country, challenges he should be concerned with, wish to tell us, the loyal citizens of this kingdom, that he is so informed about the security of our Monarchy, than our security agencies? What is his motive in saying these allegations soon after he was said to be facing impeachment in his own country, for alleged serious misconduct on his part? If at all there are citizens who are having these plots, why hasn't he shared these fears or perceptions, quietly with the police? And how can we defend him against those allegations that he has a warrant to arrest, at least, three if not four judges, including Justice Qinisile Mabuza, who recently surprised this nation, by refunding Government, the monies she considered not deserved for the kind of work she was being paid for? IF at all, there judges who are part of a plot to dethrone the king, why has this not been handled by the Judicial Service Commission? Why is the Chief justice seemingly having problems with competent local judges? Should we smell intimidation here? This is worrying to me. I am sorry.

‘You know, I have always admired and respected the person of Chief Justice Ramodibedi.  I have always considered him a good lawyer and a person who just happens to serve a wrong master in the name of the Government of Swaziland, but always trusted him because of his Christian background: he is a devout Catholic, and Catholics preach social justice from their pulpits! I thought that given this background, that he would approach issues of justice in the way our God commands: doing justice to the poor and weak and not to favour the rich and powerful. Thus says The Lord our God.

‘If the Honourable Chief Justice wants Swazi citizenship, which I believe he deserves, he must first respect the common Swazi such as I and those Swazis he is privileged to be their master. The moment he is seen to be demonizing anyone of them, then he will have lost our respect. He just needs to know that the Swazi system has been known to misuse the services of foreigners to suppress the Swazis, and once done, and then throw these foreigners in a manner rather too shameful to imagine! Be warned.

Thirdly and lastly, one applauds the judgment in the appeal case won case won by Bheki Makhuu and The Nation Magazine from the Supreme Court.’

The original article was published in the printed newspaper and on the Times of Swaziland website. It has now been removed from the website.

This is not the first time the Times Sunday has censored Musa Hlophe. In March 2014 it refused to publish his article about the trial of Bheki Makhubu and Thulani Maseko, who are on trial for contempt of court after writing and publishing articles critical of the CJ Michael Ramodibedi and the judiciary in Swaziland. He wrote at the time that ‘On trial now is no longer Thulani Maseko and Bheki Makhubu, for whatever they might have been accused of, but on trial now is the country and its institutions of power.’

In April 2013, Hlophe was also censored when he made a mild criticism of King Sobhuza II, father of the present King. Hlophe wrote, ‘In 1973, His Majesty, declared a state of emergency that has never been openly repealed.  He set up an army that is only capable of threatening or harming its own people. 

‘Worst of all, he set in motion a series of events that has led to Swaziland being among the sickest, the poorest, the most corrupt and the unhappiest nations in the world.  Swaziland is no longer a place of African heritage and pride, it is now a place that most other Africans either pity or scorn.’

Media in Swaziland have long history of self-censorship, especially when reporting on King Mswati III, who rules the kingdom as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch. The Swazi Observer newspaper group is in effect owned by the King and all but two of the broadcast media in Swaziland are state controlled.

See also

PAPER DISTORTS STORY TO PROTECT KING

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/10/paper-distorts-story-to-protect-king.html

 

MORE MEDIA SELF-CENSORSHIP OVER KING

http://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/more-media-self-censorship-over-king.html

 

CENSORSHIP OVER KING’S LATEST BRIDE

http://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/censorship-over-kings-latest-bride.html

 

CRITICISM OF SWAZI KING CENSORED

http://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/criticism-of-swazi-king-censored.html

NEWSPAPER SACKS QALAKALIBOLI DLAMINI

Qalakaliboli Dlamini, the Swaziland journalist whose articles attacked gays and called battered women ‘bitches’, has been sacked by his newspaper.

But, he was not sacked for his articles, even though they caused a storm of protest from readers.

Instead, he was dismissed because of comments he made on his Facebook page about the Times Sunday, the newspaper that employed him.

Qalakaliboli Dlamini, aged 41, whose real name is Musawenkhosi Dlamini, became notorious during 2012 for articles he wrote for the newspaper. 

Among his targets were battered women. In December 2012 he wrote that they were ‘bitches’ and said ‘most’ women who were beaten up by men brought it upon themselves.

After the publication of the article a range of organisations, among them the Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA), Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organizations, Coordinating Assembly for Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO), Swaziland Concerned Church Leaders, Swaziland National Association of Teachers, Swaziland Positive Living and the Swaziland Agricultural Producers Union (SAPU), called for an apology.

 

Makila James, the US Ambassador to Swaziland, also publicly backed readers who complained about the article.

The newspaper refused to apologise. Instead, the newspaper’s readers’ representative ruled that Dlamini had a right to his views.

Readers boycotted buying the newspaper in protest.

In May 2012, Dlamini was briefly suspended by the Times Sunday after he wrote an article attacking homosexuals as ‘satanic’ and ‘evil’. In the article he said, ‘I hate homosexuality with every fibre of hair or flesh in my body.’

The article received what Times Sunday editor Innocent Maphalala called an ‘unprecedented’ number of complaints.

At the time, Dlamini responded to his critics saying, ‘I am not at all apologetic for my choice of words.’

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

His sacking was not the result of readers’ complaints. Times Sunday editor Innocent Maphalala, writing in his own newspaper, said Dlamini was dismissed because ‘while writing for us, he used Facebook to disparage management and staff of the Times Group of Newspapers.  

‘He also had many unkind words to say about our other columnists like the respected Musa Hlophe and the likeable Bundu Teacher.’

He added, ‘We were alerted to this by Facebook users who wondered what was going on because they thought we were one big happy family, especially after I defended Qalakaliboli a year or so ago, when everybody was against him for bashing women and gays in his articles.’

Dlamini’s sacking took place in January 2014, but has only now become public. Maphalala said this was because Dlamini had been writing comments on his Facebook page which were ‘detrimental to the image of the Times Sunday, in particular, and the Times Group of Newspapers in general.’

He added, ‘I view his behaviour as unprofessional and have sent email messages, privately warning him to stop. He has not.’

See also

THE ‘TIMES’ AND PRESS STANDARDS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-times-and-press-standards.html

 

GAY HATE JOURNALIST UNREPENTANT

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/05/gay-hate-journalist-unrepentant.html

CENSORED: CRITICISM OF SWAZI STATE

In Swaziland a magazine editor and a human rights lawyer are sitting in jail awaiting trial on ‘contempt of court’ charges. The ‘crime’ of Bheki Makhubu and Thulani Maseko, was to write and publish articles in the Nation magazine critical of the Swazi judiciary. The full force of the state was unleashed on them and they now await trial. 

The jailings were meant to intimidate journalists and other critics of the non-democratic kingdom of Swaziland, which is ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

The intimidation has worked and newspapers are censoring themselves and tempering their criticism of the government, the judiciary and the King.

The Times Sunday, a member of the only independent newspaper group in Swaziland, has declined to publish an article this week (30 March 2014), written by its regular columnist Musa Hlophe on the subject.

Hlophe, who is a leading human rights activist in Swaziland, wrote in his article, ‘On trial now is no longer Thulani Maseko and Bheki Makhubu, for whatever they might have been accused of, but on trial now is the country and its institutions of power.’

Below is the full article, published with Musa Hlophe’s permission.

What a Boomerang!

By Musa Hlophe

A fortnight ago, we woke up to headlines that said Mr. Thulani R. Maseko, a prominent human rights lawyer in Swaziland, had been arrested, and that the Nation's Managing Editor, Mr. Bheki Makhubu was also wanted by  the police. That was soon to be followed with their appearance at the High Court, on allegations of contempt of court.

At this point, no one expected what was to follow. First, they were not brought before  an open court - hence we are not privileged to  know what exactly happened, except to say that we then heard that they had been remanded to prison for another week. Much as this did raise questions, but we said to ourselves, this is Swaziland wherein the rule of law and the respect, protection and promotion of human rights count for nothing. Therefore accept this as it is:  justice Swazi style.

But we were soon to be outraged by the pictures of Bheki Makhubu going to court in leg-irons. What an insult to those Swazis who cherish the ideal of the respect for human dignity? Section 18 of our Constitution has this to say about protection from inhuman or degrading treatment: (1) the dignity of every person is inviolable. (2) A person shall not be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment".

This provision of our Constitution was totally violated when Mr. Bheki Makhubu was brought to court, in a van, in leg-irons. This was the most humiliating, degrading and embarrassing treatment we, as a country, could subject a decent citizen to.  The embarrassment did not reflect just on the individual we thought we were humiliating, for whatever reason, but it reflected how barbaric we can be as a nation. While it must be humiliating to have two prominent law abiding citizens being incarcerated as the two have been, to put them on leg irons as though they were not only dangerous, but violent common criminals is totally inexcusable and insulting in the extreme.

Unfortunately, for the Government, which is currently worried about its public image and the image of this country in general, this particular case and the manner it is being handled: (as if to instil fear in the lives of the citizens, as Senator Chief Kusa Dlamini observed in parliament,) has renewed the calls for Swaziland to uphold the rule of law and respect and protect human rights. What a Boomerang!  On trial now, is no longer Thulani Maseko and Bheki Makhubu, for whatever they might have been accused of, but on trial now is the country and its institutions of power.  As I have said in recent articles on this subject of the country's image, it does not need any mischievous person or persons to paint a bad picture about it, the Government and its structures are good at doing that job. When power is abused by any structure of government, the action reflects, not only on the Government of the day, but on all our institutions of governance. What this reflects is an extreme form of assault not on peoples, rights, but a serious assault on justice and the rule of law in Swaziland. It is that bad!

So, when Mr. Percy Simelane says the King never ordered the arrest of Bhantshana Gwebu, he misses the point that when the State prefers charges against a citizen or citizens, it does so on behalf of the Crown or the King. Therefore, when the charge is said to be The King vs, Bhantshana Gwebu, it does not mean that the King has personally ordered the trial of this citizen, but a certain arm of government has ordered the action. But, above all, Mr. Simelane must know when to defend Government, even when Government actions are indefensible! Sometimes it is advisable just to keep quiet and let those departments or agencies of state which have blundered, sweep their mess. It is called wisdom.

Now, how has this case boomeranged? In this way: it has come about at a time when the Government is facing difficult deadlines on both the issues of the ILO and the imminent cut off from being entitled to low or no import taxes to our goods in the USA through AGOA/GSP. Both these demands are about the promotion and protection of human rights generally, but especially worker rights. The Americans have already expressed their displeasure at how this case came about and how it is being handled. This has a direct   impact on whether we retain our privilege of AGOA/GSP or lose it. We cannot, and must not hope to deceive the international community by doing some patch work on worker rights, in total isolation of the broader rights of citizens to freely express themselves, peacefully assemble and associate, and hope that the international community will believe us. To think so is utter foolishness.

The Prisons Department, by its action of having these two decent citizens on leg irons, their denial of access to them by their regional colleagues, has damaged the image of this country irreparably. At the time of writing this article, I was aware of several high level meetings of jurists in Pretoria, South Africa, to discuss this issue. I was also informed by our colleagues in Brussels, that Trade Unions in Europe were planning their own responses to this insult to human dignity.  It has to be born in mind that the European members of ITUC are very influential to their governments and EU Aid and Trade Preferences are also subject to review if Swaziland openly and seriously abuses human rights.   If they were to take an anti-Swaziland stance, we may face embarrassments in future; if not the same pressure we are faced with, because of how the Unions in the United States of America have done with regards to the AGOA/GSP. We must just wait and see.

But why are we finding ourselves in this mess? Who is responsible for all this? Others will say that it has to do with challenges in the exercise of power by some agents of state. Others will be tempted to blame it on some foreigner or such kind. As you would probably know me by now, I am neither racist nor tribalist! I am, if anything, a pan-Africanist. Therefore I shall never criticize someone on the basis of his/her country of origin.

In the present case, the problem we see is simply a symptom of a much larger political problem. We, as a country, have allowed ourselves to act above the law, with no consequences. The initiator of this scandalous case will not be questioned as to his/her wisdom for doing this thing the way it has been done: bringing shame to the country and its respected institutions. It is because of such bad, if not poor political culture, which has created a culture of impunity and unaccountability by agents of state.

Instead of those in power focussing on those whose actions have brought this shame and embarrassment to the country, sadly, they will be looking for some scapegoats to hang.

What we have seen these past two weeks should embarrass every decent person who knows both Makhubu and Maseko: two decent citizens of this country, and who, by their calling, have demonstrated their love for King and country; will say the government stooped too low in its handling of this case. While I am the first one to say the courts deserve respect from the population. I am also the first one to say, that the courts must earn the trust and respect from the citizenry. Respect and trust are never imposed but earned. The Honourable Minister of Justice needs to know this.

 However, the most astonishing thing in all this is the silence from the Human Rights Commission! Where are you throughout this episode? You mean to tell the nation that this has not come to your attention and caused you worry? Which rights will you ever protect? Do not bother trying to answer: we understand your limitations and they are deliberate.

 Our sympathy goes to the families and friends of both Makhubu and Maseko. Your loved ones may be incarcerated, but may you find comfort in the knowledge that they are not the ones on trial, but that it is Swaziland's justice and political system in the dock.

Peace!!

See also

EDITOR APPEARS IN COURT IN LEG IRONS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2014/03/editor-appears-in-court-in-leg-irons.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

MORE MEDIA SELF-CENSORSHIP OVER KING

Once again Swaziland’s Times Sunday has censored itself and misled its readers about international criticism of King Mswati III.

It misreported a CNN report about US President Barack Obama’s criticism of Swaziland and its king, who rules the kingdom as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch. Obama was speaking at the tribute to the life of Nelson Mandela.

The Times was reporting a commentary written by Frida Ghitis and published online by CNN, the international cable news channel.

The Times, which is part of the only newspaper group in Swaziland that is not controlled by the King, reported that Ghitis said Freedom House, an international human rights organisation, described Swaziland as a ‘failed state’.

But, that is not what Ghitis actually wrote. She said Freedom House called Swaziland a ‘failed feudal state’, which is something quite different. By deliberately changing the sense of the statement, the Times deflected the criticism away from the King.

The newspaper also did not report that Ghitis also referred in her article to ‘dictators and their right-hand men’ who were present at the tribute to Mandela.

Ghitis wrote, but the Times did not report,  ‘It included the likes of Swaziland Prime Minister [Barnabas] Sibusiso Dlamini, representing the small kingdom described by Freedom House as “a failed feudal state,” where the king uses photos of beautiful girls to attract tourists, “distracting outsiders from Swaziland's shocking realities of oppression, abject poverty, hunger and disease.”

‘Freedom House says that in the past 40 years, “two despots have used Swaziland for their personal purposes while ignoring the needs of the Swazi people and their legitimate rights to have a say over how they are governed and how the country's resources are used” -- the very antithesis of Mandela’s struggle.’

This is not the first time the Times Sunday has deliberately distorted the news to mislead its readers about criticism of King Mswati.

In 2012, it distorted a story about UK Prime Minister David Cameron and freedom and democracy in the kingdom, to deflect criticism away from the King.

The newspaper carried a report saying that Cameron had responded to a petition from the Swazi Vigil, a prodemocracy group in the UK. 

According to the Times Sunday, the petition read in part, ‘Exiled Swazis and supporters urge you to put pressure on (the Swazi Government) to allow political freedom, freedom of the press, rule of law, respect for women and affordable AIDS drugs in Swaziland.’

The newspaper inserted the words ‘the Swazi Government’ into the petition to make it seem that it was Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini and his cabinet that was being criticised.

In fact, the petition sent to Cameron in May 2012 actually read, ‘Petition to the British Government: Exiled Swazis and supporters urge you to put pressure on absolute monarch King Mswati III to allow political freedom, freedom of the press, rule of law, respect for women and affordable AIDs drugs in Swaziland.’ 

The Swazi Vigil made it very clear that it was criticising ‘absolute monarch King Mswati III’.

The Times Sunday and other media in Swaziland constantly mislead their readers and audiences about how King Mswati is viewed outside his kingdom. In May 2012 there was widespread criticism against King Mswati’s invitation to join a lunch in London to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.

There were street demonstrations in London against the King and prodemocracy campaigners drew attention to the lack of freedoms in Swaziland and the lavish lifestyle the king enjoys, while seven in ten of his subjects languish in absolute poverty, earning less than US$2 a day.

Inkhosikati LaMbikiza, one of the King’s 13 wives who accompanied him to the lunch, wore shoes costing £995 (US$1,559), the equivalent of more than three years’ income for 70 percent of Swazi people. The total cost of the King’s trip was estimated to be at least US$794,500. 

The Times, the companion paper to the Times Sunday, reported at the time that Inkhosikati LaMbikiza had ‘rave reviews’ from the Daily Mail newspaper in London for her dress sense, but omitted to say the same newspaper also reported, ‘Guests from controversial regimes include Swaziland’s King Mswati III, who has been accused of living an obscenely lavish lifestyle while many of his people starve.’ 

There was similar criticism a year earlier in April 2011 when King Mswati went to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The Times newspaper in South Africa reported at the time, ‘The controversial absolute monarch, whose country is ranked among the poorest in the world, spent much of this week playing hide-and-seek with prodemocracy demonstrators tailing him across London.’ The King was forced to change his hotel to avoid pickets.

The Swazi media failed to report any of this, but did say that King Mswati had been welcomed by business people in the UK.

See also

PAPER DISTORTS STORY TO PROTECT KING

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2012/10/paper-distorts-story-to-protect-king.html

‘TIMES’ BLOWS COVER ON KING’S WEALTH

A Swazi newspaper has told its readers that King Mswati III’s net personal wealth is estimated at US$200 million (E2 billion), breaking protocol that the personal life of the monarch is never discussed.

The estimate first came from the Forbes magazine in 2007, repeated in 2009 and has been widely reported all over the world and used extensively by critics of the king who say he squanders money on himself while seven in ten of his 1.3 million subjects live in abject poverty on less than US$2 per day.

Now, the Times Sunday,an independent newspaper in the Swaziland where King Mswati rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, has reported an interview the king gave with the international news agency, Reuters.

The interview was published on 13 September 2013, but it is only now that the Times has reported on it.

In its report the Times Sunday says, ‘In 2009, Forbes magazine estimated his personal wealth at US$200 million (about E2 billion).

‘In response to this estimation, the king told Reuters that he had no idea where the figures came from.

‘“I was very surprised and wondered where I got all this amount of money,” said His Majesty the King.

‘“You just live according to what you can afford and according to your taste within the budget that has been allocated. It’s not in anyone’s interest to overspend.”’

The report from Reuters, published in the run-up to the national election in Swaziland in September, was largely critical of the king.

Reuters reported, but the Times Sunday did not repeat, ‘The king denied accusations of autocracy and was unapologetic about the lavish lifestyle enjoyed by him and his dozen or so wives, each of whom has a palace paid for by an administration that he himself appoints.’

It added, ‘On the streets of the capital, Swazis offer criticism of the king only in whispered tones, leaving the most strident voices to come from the relative safety of South Africa.

‘“This is a monarchy that says there is a constitution for the government and then says that we rule above it," Wandile Dludlu of the Swaziland United Democratic Front, a coalition of pro-democracy activists, told a seminar in Pretoria this week.

‘“We should not allow Mswati to play God over our lives.”’

Reuters also reported, ‘Despite his [the king’s] self-assurance, outside the concrete walls of Lozitha, guarded by soldiers and conveniently sitting next door to the Ministry of Defence, all is not well in the tiny sugar-producing kingdom of rocky hills and rolling plains.

‘Swaziland has the world's highest HIV/AIDS rate, with more than one in four adults infected, and the $4 billion economy is flat-lining, starved of investment and struggling to recover from a 2011 budget crunch that almost bankrupted the state.’

Reuters also quoted a report from the UK-based think tank Chatham House which said,‘Swaziland is on a non-sustainable trajectory, which the king and the government will ignore at their peril.’

Reuters reported, ‘The chief resident of Lozitha [the king] does not share the concerns.’

The publication by the Times Sunday of the Reuters’ report will bring back memories of 2007, when King Mswati threatened to close down the newspaper and its companion titles the Times of Swaziland and Swazi News after it reported a news agency report critical of the king.

Then, the Times Sunday reported Afrol News, from Norway, which said, ‘Swaziland is increasingly paralysed by poor governance, corruption and the private spending of authoritarian King Mswati III and his large royal family. The growing social crisis in the country and the lessening interest of donors to support King Mswati’s regime has also created escalating needs for social services beyond the scale of national budgets.’

King Mswati called the Times publisher to Lozitha Palace and threatened to close down the newspapers unless the people responsible for the publication of the article were sacked and an abject apology was published. The Times did as it was told.

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.’

See also

CLOSURE THREAT AT ‘TIMES’

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2007/11/closure-threat-to-times.html

 

KING ADMITS NO CHANGE ON DEMOCRACY

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/09/king-admits-no-change-on-democracy.html

 

SWAZILAND KING KEEPS COINING IT IN

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2009/07/swaziland-king-keeps-coining-it-in.html

SWAZI PRIMARY ELECTION SHAMBLES

Swaziland’s primary election was a shambles across the kingdom on Saturday (24 August 2013) as incorrect ballot papers were issued, campaign laws were broken, residents threatened to boycott the poll and police had to get a riot squad escort to remove ballot boxes from one polling station.

The election was called off at Bahai and Magwaneni and at Pigg’s Peak polling stations were allowed to remain open beyond the official closing time.

The election for the Mbabane West Constituency at Bahai and Magwaneni polling stations had to be called off after it was discovered the ballot papers had the picture of one candidate appearing twice at the expense of a competitor.

When this was discovered Mangwaneni residents demanded that the election be halted. After much confusion the Election and Boundaries Commission (EBC) which is responsible for organising the election, announced polling would be postponed until the following day (Sunday). But it could not be established if those who had already voted would have to come back and start afresh.

At Lubuli, Chief Mshikashika Ngcamphalala had to be brought in to calm angry residents at the Ngcamphalala Royal Kraal.

This was after residents complained about the reinstatement of Mana Mavimbela, the18-year-old woman who had been unlawfully banned from having her name put forward as a candidate during the nominations on 4 August because she was wearing jeans at the time. 

 

On the eve of the primary election, the Swazi High Court ruled she should be allowed to stand. The EBC then put her name on the ballot paper even though she had not been officially nominated and said the ballot should be postponed by one day.

At a public meeting on Saturday residents complained that this meant Mavimbela had been give a free passage in the nominations. Many residents said they would boycott the primary election.

Chief Mshikashika Ngcamphalala confirmed to local media that he had to go and address residents of his area.

The Times Sunday, an independent newspaper in Swaziland, reported, ‘The chief said he received a call from officials of the EBC who pleaded with him to go and reason with the people because they were not in agreement with what the EBC officials were saying.’

The newspaper also reported the elections at Pigg’s Peak, ‘were full of drama which was accompanied by sporadic fights, accusations of vote-rigging and general confusion’.

The newspaper reported, ‘The elections were so chaotic such that at some point, it was suggested that the elections should be called off and postponed to today.  This happened when the general cut-off time of 5pm as set by the EBC, elapsed.  Five pm passed while a queue of over 2 000 people waited outside the polling station for a chance to get inside.’

The elections continued ‘way into the night’, the Times Sunday reported.

At Lubuli, residents protested after police took ballot boxes away from the polling station at Lubuli High School once voting had ended. Usually the count takes place at the same place as the polling. 

State riot police the Operational Support Services Unit escorted a police car away from the polling station to avoid toyi-toyi-ing residents.

The Times Sunday also reported that the turnout of voters was very poor in some areas. It said that officers at the Mbabane East Polling station at Woodlands High School, Sidvwashini, ‘were lazing around with no one to attend to’.

One person the newspaper spoke to called Mfundo ‘Shakura’ Dlamini, said, ‘It [looks] like many people decided to stay indoors and snub the elections.’

At Pigg’s Peak a man was briefly detained by police on suspicion of campaigning for one of the candidates.

All campaigning for the primary election is banned by law, but local media reported campaigning was taking place behind the scenes.

The Times Sunday reported, ‘The Pigg’s Peak elections lived up to its billing of being controversial as there were sporadic incidents from rival teams, leading campaigns and manhandling each other but the presence of the police calmed the morning session of the voting process which remained peaceful.’

The newspaper said some voters appeared intoxicated and others wore t-shirts with campaign slogans. Despite breaking the law, they were not disturbed by the police.

See also

ELECTION BOARD DEFEATED IN HIGH COURT

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/08/election-board-defeated-in-high-court.html