eSwatini (formerly Swaziland)

The senior reporter for the “Swazi Observer” newspaper, Thulani Mthethwa, has been called before the police on two occasions and the attorney general on one occasion following the publication of a letter deemed secret by police. On 10 January 2000, the “Swazi Observer” published a letter from Swaziland’s Police Commissioner Edgar Hillary to the South […]

(MISA/IFEX) – At least two journalists were threatened and forced to leave their posts on 28 October 1999 following an apparent illegal strike by workers at the Swaziland Television Broadcasting Corporation (STBC). Since then, six workers at STBC have also been suspended without pay from the corporation, apparently because of their involvement in the strike. […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The director of public prosecutions (DPP) in Swaziland, Lincoln Ng’arua, stated that his office is considering pressing charges against other staff members of the “Times of Swaziland” for allegedly publishing defamatory articles about the newest fiancee of King Mswati III. Quoted in the “Swazi Observer” of 28 September 1999, Ng’arua said the DPP […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The suspended editor of “Times Sunday” in Swaziland, Bheki Makhubu, was arrested on the night of Sunday 26 September 1999 and appeared in the Mbabane magistrates court on the morning of Monday 27 September on a charge of criminal defamation. He was granted bail of Emalangeni 3000 (South African Rands 3000, approximately US$500) […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – ARTICLE 19 has expressed its deep concern at the news that Bheki Makhubu, editor of the “Times Sunday” newspaper, has been forced to resign from his post. It seems clear that this development is a direct result of the political pressure which has been exerted on the newspaper’s management by the government […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – ARTICLE 19 has expressed its concern at reports that the Swazi authorities intend to seek a court order forcing Bheki Makhubu, editor of the “Times Sunday” newspaper, to reveal his sources with regard to a story published on 12 September 1999 about the royal family. ARTICLE 19 is also concerned at reports […]

(MISA/IFEX) – According to information received by MISA, the government of Swaziland is reportedly intent on pushing through new legislation to address defamation of character by the media. On 17 September 1999, Minister of Public Service and Information Magwagwa Mdluli confirmed that a private law firm was drafting the legislation and that it would be […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 6 April 1999, photographer Mduduzi Mngomezulu, who works for the “Times of Swaziland”, was beaten up by police in Manzini while trying to take photos of a march by civil servants. Mngomezulu’s camera was broken in the process, but his newspaper was able to salvage the photos he had taken before the […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 21 October 1998, the Deputy Chairperson of Swaziland’s Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), Promise Msibi, called for restrictions on South African journalists covering events in Swaziland. The “Swazi Observer” reported Msibi calling on the government to take drastic steps against the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) for insulting the King in their elections […]

(MISA/IFEX) – According to MISA, on 12 March 1998, two journalists working at the state-controlled Swazi TV were reprimanded by Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini for leaving a road construction site he had been touring before the tour was over. The Prime Minister, who is the head of government, accused Swazi TV journalists Mbuso Matsenjwa and […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 21 and 22 November 1997, the Swaziland Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Swaziland) held a consultative forum to debate the way forward in opposing an imposed government media bill. The forum had representatives from civil society and from international organisations such as ARTICLE 19 and Freedom of Expression Institute. […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Public protests have forced Swaziland Television to suspend its decision to stop the re-transmission of the signals of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). Swaziland Television Director Mike Conwell first announced the decision on 15 October 1997, saying his station would switch off the transmitter that makes it possible to view the SABC […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Scraping the recently-approved media regulation bill and a review of the Constitution-making process are among the 27 points which influenced a two-day mass work boycott in Swaziland on 14 and 15 October 1997. The boycott, which paralysed the formal sector in the country including government offices, was organised by the Swaziland Federation of […]

Swaziland’s only independent newspaper group said the ruling monarchy was planning ways of forcing it to close down. In a “The Times of Swaziland” editorial of 7 August 1996, the newspaper said that there were “strong indications that pressure is being put on the authorities to close down The Times of Swaziland group of newspapers….” […]

Source: MISA-Swaziland MISA-Swaziland reported that on 23 June 1996, Acting Prime Minister Dr. Sishayi Nxumalo, accompanied by Minister of Information Prince Khuzulwandle together with heavily armed police, went into state-run radio and television newsrooms to check through evening news items queued for broadcasting. Nxumalo and Khuzulwandle removed from the news line up items describing a […]

**Updates IFEX alerts dated 4 August, 13 July 8 June and 13 March 1995** The news editor of the “Swazi Observer”, Donny Nxumalo, has been suspended indefinitely for writing what the paper’s management terms “defamatory statements” about public figures. The “Observer” is a daily newspaper owned by a trust headed by Swaziland’s head of state, […]