Swazi Media Commentary

Friday, 3 May 2019

No appetite by Swaziland to investigate human rights abuses, corruption: U.S. report

There is no appetite to investigate human rights abuses or corruption in Swaziland /eSwatini, the latest report from the United States Department of State concluded.

Swaziland is controlled by King Mswati III and ‘political power remained largely vested with the king and his traditional advisors,’ the report, which covered human rights issues during 2018, stated.

The 24-page report detailed ‘human rights issues’ across a wide range of areas which included, ‘restrictions on political participation, corruption, rape and violence against women linked in part to government inaction, criminalization of same-sex sexual conduct, although rarely enforced, and child labor’.

The report stated, ‘The government often did not investigate, prosecute, or administratively punish officials who committed human rights abuses. With very few exceptions, the government did not identify officials who committed abuses. Impunity was widespread.’

The report added, ‘Although there were mechanisms to investigate and punish abuse and corruption, there were few prosecutions or disciplinary actions taken against security officers accused of abuses.’ It said the Royal eSwatini Police Service (REPS) itself investigated complaints of police abuse and corruption, but did not release findings to the public.

‘In most cases the REPS transferred police officers found responsible for violations to other offices or departments within the police system.’

The Department of State report was not the first in 2019 to detail human rights abuses in Swaziland. In February, Freedom House concluded King Mswati continued to hold a tight grip on power and all aspects of life in the kingdom.

Freedom House scored Swaziland 16 out of a possible 100 points in its Freedom in the World 2019 report. It concluded that Swaziland was ‘not free’.

Freedom House stated, ‘The king exercises ultimate authority over all branches of the national government and effectively controls local governance through his influence over traditional chiefs. Political dissent and civic and labor activism are subject to harsh punishment under sedition and other laws. Additional human rights problems include impunity for security forces and discrimination against women and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people.’

National elections took place in Swaziland in 2018. Freedom House scored Swaziland zero out of a possible 12 points for its ‘electoral process’. It stated, ‘The king, who remains the chief executive authority, is empowered to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and members of the cabinet. The prime minister is ostensibly the head of government, but has little power in practice. Ambrose Dlamini was appointed prime minister in October 2018, although he was not a member of Parliament at the time of his appointment, as required by the constitution.

Freedom House scored Swaziland one point out of a possible 16 for ‘political pluralism and participation’ stating, ‘The king has tight control over the political system in law and in practice, leaving no room for the emergence of an organized opposition with the potential to enter government. The vast majority of candidates who contested the 2018 general elections were supporters of the king.’

Swaziland scored zero out of a possible 12 points for ‘functioning of government.’ The king appoints the Prime Minister and government ministers. Freedom House stated, ‘The king and his government determine policy and legislation; members of Parliament hold no real power and effectively act as a rubber stamp in approving the king’s legislative priorities. Parliament cannot initiate legislation and has little oversight or influence on budgetary matters. The king is also constitutionally empowered to veto any legislation. The absolute authority of the king was demonstrated by his decision to rename the country in April 2018 [from Swaziland to eSwatini] without any constitutional process or parliamentary approval.

The full report from the State Department is available here

http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2018&dlid=289017

Thursday, 2 May 2019

Journalists in Swaziland endure year of harassment as they try to do their jobs

As World Press Freedom Day is celebrated across the globe, journalists in Swaziland / eSwatini face almost continual harassment as they go about their work.

A survey by Swazi Media Commentary shows that in the twelve months since May 2018 journalists have been beaten by state forces and teachers as they try to cover public events. Two were detained at the Qatar Embassy in Mbabane, the Swazi capital, when they went to question a diplomat. A government minister called for a journalist to be arrested for taking photographs of ministerial cars parked in a public place. A former newspaper editor was questioned by police about allegations he had interviewed members of banned political organisations back in 2011.

As recently as last Sunday (28 April 2019) it was reported that a journalist on the Swazi Observer needed hospital treatment after he was beaten by family members of a prominent bishop when he was investigating allegations of the bishop’s sexual relationship with a schoolgirl. He needed hospital treatment. Five people were later charged by police.

In July 2018, Health Minister Ndlela-Simelane called on police to arrest a Swazi Observer journalist who was photographing government ministers’ cars outside the Deputy Prime Minister’s office. She demanded that the photographs be deleted which the journalist did. The newspaper had previously published a report about government ministers’ BMW cars being in a bad state of repair. It was checking a government claim that the vehicles had been repaired and were back on the road.

In August 2018, police and prison warders beat up a Times of Swaziland journalist and demanded he delete photographs he took of them attacking and shooting at striking textile workers at Nhlangano. The reporter was treated in hospital. More than 200 paramilitary police and correctional facility warders with riot shields, helmets and batons had been at Nhlangano. It had been the third police attack on workers in a week.

Human rights groups condemned the attack. The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabawe chapter called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to investigate Swaziland after a series of ‘state-sponsored violations against journalists’.

It called the police attack, ‘an increasingly worrying development involving state security agents’. It pointed out that in February 2018 a photojournalist with the Swazi Observer had also been attacked after he took pictures of a convoy of overcrowded vehicles transporting prison wardens.

MISA called the attacks, ‘a direct attack on the rights to free expression and press freedom as explicitly protected in Section 24 of Eswatini’s Constitution. Yet State security forces continue to attack journalists with impunity.’

It called on SADC to look into ‘these continued state-sponsored violations against journalists. It is high time the regional body condemned the continued use of state security agents to violate fundamental rights such as the right to free expression and the right to access information.’

MISA Swaziland chapter said it was concerned the attacks on journalists were taking place ahead of national elections which were held in September 2018. It stated, ‘The law enforcement agents ought to know that journalists play a public service of disseminating information that emaSwati [Swazi people] need desperately to make informed decisions and choices.’

It added, ‘Whosoever attacks journalists in line of duty, stands accused of violating emaSwati’s constitutional right to information.’

Separately, the Panos Institute Southern Africa said the state attacks on journalists were unconstitutional. In a statementit said, ‘Journalism is not a crime, but is a freedom that must be cherished and protected by all who are concerned about the region’s development. Any attack on press freedom is a blow on the implementation of poverty eradication interventions, as the media is a strategic ally in the roll-out of national development programmes.’

In September 2018, a photojournalist with the Swazi Observer was assaulted and had his camera taken while covering protest march by schoolteachers. He was hit with open hands and fists and he sustained injuries on the face and body. His camera was taken but later recovered. It happened near the United States Embassy in Mbabane while teachers marched to deliver a petition seeking support in their campaign for higher salaries.

In October 2018, the Qatar embassy in Swaziland detained two journalists from the Times of Swaziland for more than an hour in the kingdom’s capital, Mbabane. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported a senior diplomat tried to make them sign a statement barring them from publishing a report about his alleged involvement in an assault.

The journalists refused to sign, saying the story was in the public interest. They were released and later went to local police to lay a charge of kidnapping.

Times of Swaziland editor Martin Dlamini told CPJ, ‘We are shocked that our journalists could be subjected to such treatment by an ambassador. This is not just a serious attack on the local media but displays disrespect toward the country.’

In November 2018, Musa Ndlangamandla, a former editor-in-chief of the Swazi Observer and a writer for South Africa’s Mail & Guardian newspaper, was questioned by police for talking to banned political parties for articles he had written in 2011.

He wrote on his Facebook page, ‘They told me they are building a case against me for interacting (they actually called it advertising) PUDEMO, Umbane and other entities they described as proscribed.’

Political parties are banned in Swaziland and the kingdom is ruled by King Mswati III as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

Meanwhile, the United States State Department annual report on human rights in Swaziland covering 2018 stated, ‘The constitution and law provide for freedom of expression, including for the press, but the government restricted this right, particularly with respect to press freedom and matters concerning the monarchy. Although no law bans criticism of the monarchy, the prime minister used threats and intimidation to restrict such criticism.

‘The law empowers the government to ban publications if it deems them “prejudicial or potentially prejudicial to the interests of defense, public safety, public order, public morality, or public health.” Many journalists practiced self-censorship. Journalists expressed fear of reporting on matters involving the monarchy.

‘Daily newspapers criticized government corruption and inefficiency but generally avoided criticizing the royal family.’

The report added, ‘Broadcast media remained firmly under state control. Most persons obtained their news from radio broadcasts. Access to speak on national radio is generally restricted to government officials, although a leader of the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland received an opportunity in September to share trade union frustrations and demands. Despite invitations issued by the media regulatory authority for parties to apply for licenses, no licenses were awarded. Stations practiced self-censorship and hesitated to broadcast anything perceived as critical of the government or the monarchy.’

See also

Censorship total at Swazi state media

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/05/censorship-total-at-swazi-state-media.html

Journalists say they are under threat

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/journalists-say-they-are-under-threat.html

Editor wants media freedom inquiry

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/04/editor-wants-media-freedom-inquiry.html

Wednesday, 1 May 2019

Swaziland journalist beaten for investigating bishop’s sex with schoolgirl allegation

A journalist in Swaziland /eSwatini needed hospital treatment after he was beaten by family members of a prominent bishop in the kingdom. Zwelethu Dlamini had been following up a story that Bishop Bheki Lukhele was having sexual relations with a schoolgirl.

Dlamini works for the Swazi Observer newspaper. The Sunday edition of the Observer reported (28 April 2019), ‘The incident, which occurred in the Lubombo region, saw one member of the news team rushed to the hospital after he was clobbered by three sets of different mobs which left a company vehicle dented by clubs and a broken windshield from a flying missile.’ The newspaper said those involved in the attack included some of the bishop’s in-laws.

The Observer said it was investigation allegations that Lukhele, ‘had sexual relations with a Form Two pupil who ultimately dropped out after falling pregnant’. She is thought to be 21 years old.

Lukhele, founder and leader in the All Nations Christian Church in Zion, reportedly intended to marry her. According to the Observer, Lukhele, ‘is known to enjoy a polygamous lifestyle’.

Journalists in Swaziland often face physical attacks when reporting. In September 2018, Mduduzi Mngomezulu, a photojournalist with the Swazi Observer, was manhandled and assaulted by teachers as he took photographs at a protest. He was hit with open hands and fists and sustained injuries on the face and body.

Also in September 2018, police attacked a Times of Swaziland journalist Andile Nsibande who was photographing them during a workers’ dispute where they fired shots. Police officers demanded that Nsibande delete pictures he had taken and then beat up the defenceless journalist. He was taken to hospital where he received treatment.

In February 2018, a photojournalist with the Swazi Observer was attacked after he took pictures of a convoy of overcrowded vehicles transporting prison wardens.

Another photojournalist with the Sunday Observer was attacked in July 2018 after he took pictures of government vehicles parked outside a deputy prime minister’s office. Police forced the photojournalist to delete pictures he had taken.

Search This Blog