SWAZI PM 'TO CENSOR FOREIGN PRESS'

Barnabas Dlamini, Swaziland’s illegally-appointed Prime Minister, who humiliated himself and the kingdom earlier this month by accepting a ‘humanitarian’ medal from a conman, is set to embarrass himself again on the international stage.

This time Dlamini thinks he is so powerful that he can censor a South African newspaper. He is annoyed because City Press from Johannesburg published an article in its edition on Sunday (17 October 2010) criticising the Swazi Government and its running of the economy.

The City Press reported that Dlamini and the Minister of Finance Majozi Sithole had travelled to Washington ‘cap in hand’ to request financial assistance from the World Bank. Dlamini was also annoyed that the newspaper published a comment from Mario Masuku, President of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), an organisation banned in Swaziland.

Questioned in the Swaziland parliament yesterday, Dlamini said, ‘We will deal with this. We have prepared a statement and we will see to it that the newspaper will publish our response.’

I assume that when he says the newspaper ‘will publish our response’ he means the statement will appear as a paid advertisement; because that’s the only way he can ensure its publication (always assuming that the City Press decides to accept it).

There is no other way Dlamini can force the City Press to publish his statement. He must remember that it is only in Swaziland where he has control over the majority of the news media. He is editor-in-chief of the state-run radio, SBIS, and state-run TV, Swazi TV. The Swazi Observer and its companion the Weekend Observer are both in effect owned by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, so are under Dlamini’s cosh.

But outside of the kingdom it’s a different matter. He has no power over the South African media and I look forward to the City Press telling him to take a running jump.

But the fact that Dlamini actually believes that he can control the foreign press demonstrates how out of touch with reality he is.

I look forward to hearing him explain to MPs why it was the City Press wouldn’t publish his statement.

CALL FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SPREADS

Opposition to the human rights catastrophe in Swaziland is growing in neighbouring South Africa.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) wants the Secretary-General of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum, Dr. Esau Chiviya, to convene an urgent meeting to discuss the spate of recent human rights abuses occurring in Swaziland.

Swaziland, ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, is in the grip of a reign of terror unleashed by the state against pro-democracy activists.

In May 2010 Sipho Jele, an activist for the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), died while in custody. Pro-democracy activists fear he was murdered. An inquest into Jele’s death was opened and has now been adjourned indefinitely.

Jele had been arrested for wearing a T-shirt with a PUDEMO logo. Calls from civil society in Swaziland for an independent investigation into his death, have been met with silence by the Swazi government.

This month, the Swazi police arrested a member of the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), Sibusiso Mhlanga, for possessing a copy of a City Press article, that detailed a sex scandal involving the Swazi Royal Family.

All news of the scandal has been suppressed in the Swazi media, but South African newspapers, which also circulate in Swaziland, have carried reports. DA called this, ‘an ominous action amidst allegations against the Swazi authorities of police brutality of activists whilst in detention’.

The DA said in a statement, ‘Both these instances are indicative of a society that lives under an oppressive regime, that of King Mswati III, who denies his citizens what are, in essence, their most basic of human rights.’

The DA wants South African President Jacob Zuma to discuss these ‘very serious human rights violations’ at the SADC Heads of State meeting in Windhoek. ‘The DA believes that it is time for the South African government to demonstrate its leadership in the region and re-affirm our commitment to human rights.’

BANNED ‘CITY PRESS’ WILL GO ON SALE

City Press will try to distribute copies in Swaziland tomorrow (Sunday 15 August 2010), despite fears that it has been banned in the kingdom.

The South African newspaper that is on sale in Swaziland, has drawn international attention over the past two Sundays for its reporting of the Swazi Royal Family sex scandal.

It was reported earlier this week that City Press had been ‘unofficially’ banned in Swaziland, which is ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

Reports in the African media said Swaziland security forces were apparently instructed to buy all copies of the City Press that were on sale in the kingdom.

Melanie-Ann Feris, managing editor of City Press, said, ‘The paper is not aware of being officially banned in Swaziland. We will continue to distribute the paper to our outlets there this weekend.’

Swazi police deny there is an official ban. City Press quoted Superintendent Wendy Hleta, the deputy public relations officer for the police, saying claims that the paper was banned were unfounded and untrue.

ACTIVIST COULD FACE 50 CENTS FINE

The man arrested for photocopying a news report on the Swazi Royal Family sex scandal could face a maximum two months in prison or a fine of 50 cents (US).

No really. The absurdity of the arrest of Sibusiso Mhlanga knows no bounds.

Regular readers will know that Mhlanga was arrested by a plain clothed police officer in Manzini when he tried to get a photocopy of a City Press newspaper report on the (alleged) adultery of (now former) Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Ndumiso Mamba, and King Mswati III’s 12^th wife, Nothando Dube (also known as Inkhosikati LaDube).

Police said they would charge Mhlanga with copyright infringement. Mhlanga, aged 31, is a member of the Swazi Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), the youth wing of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO). Both are considered ‘terrorist entities’ in Swaziland, ruled by King Mswati, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

No one believes that a plain clothed police officer just happened to be passing by when Mhlanga tried to get his photocopy. Reports of his arrest and his role as a pro-democracy activist have circulated the world since yesterday.

No matter how it tries the Swaziland state has not been able to keep a lid on the Royal Family sex scandal and what it says about King Mswati and the way he oppresses the Swazi people.

And the 50 cents? Copyright law in Swaziland dates back to 1912. If convicted you are liable to a fine not exceeding E4 [about 50 US cents], with the maximum fine not exceeding E100. In Swaziland, the legal system provides for fines or imprisonment as an alternative. The imprisonment term imposed by the Act does not exceed a period of two months.

SEX SCANDAL NEWSPAPER ‘BANNED’

The City Press newspaper that broke the story about the Swaziland Royal Family sex scandal has been banned from the kingdom – but only ‘unofficially’.

The City Press is a South African Sunday newspaper, but it is on sale in Swaziland. For the past two weeks it ran stories about an (alleged) adulterous relationship between (now former) Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Ndumiso Mamba, and King Mswati III’s 12^th wife, Nothando Dube (also known as Inkhosikati LaDube).

Now, reports in the African media say Swaziland security forces were apparently instructed to buy all copies of the City Press that were on sale in the kingdom.

African Eye reports, ‘“There were reports that people could not get the paper last weekend in Swaziland, and our sources...also called on Tuesday asking if we know that we have been banned,’ said City Press executive editor Japhet Ncube on Wednesday. “Our lawyers are looking into this issue and steps will probably be taken if it's true, otherwise there is no official report on this.”'

Spokesperson for the Swaziland chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Swaziland), Michael Motsa, said there was no law the Swaziland authorities could use to ban City Press or any other paper.

‘“Yes, there are rumours that City Press has been banned from circulation in the kingdom, but I don't think there is any truth to that. If it is true, we will condemn this and call for the unbanning of the paper based on the fact that there is no legislation calling for banning of newspapers that report negatively about the royal family,” said Motsa on Wednesday.’ (11 August 2010).

While the royal sex scandal has not been covered in the Swaziland media, South African Sunday newspapers City Press, Sunday Sun and the Sunday Independent have reported on it.

SEX SCANDAL: ‘MAMBA TORTURED’

Ndumiso Mamba, the (now former) Swaziland Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, at the centre of the Swaziland Royal Family sex scandal has been rearrested and is being tortured by the Army, according to an unconfirmed report.

The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) reports today (11 August 2011) that Mamba ‘is being tortured by the Army as purely a punitive measure’.

SSN is trying to confirm the report.

Mamba is accused of having an adulterous relationship with King Mswati III’s 12th wife, Nothando Dube (also known as Inkhosikati LaDube).

Meanwhile, SSN also reports that City Press, the South African newspaper that broke the news of the alleged affair between Mamba and LaDube, has been banned from sale in Swaziland. All media produced in Swaziland have been barred by the king from reporting on the sex scandal.