Journalists work outside St Thomas’ Hospital in central London as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care after his coronavirus symptoms worsened in London, Tuesday, April 7, 2020. Johnson was admitted to St Thomas’ hospital in central London on Sunday after his coronavirus symptoms persisted for 10 days. Having been in hospital for tests and observation, his doctors advised that he be admitted to intensive care on Monday evening. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
By OBAKENG MAJE
Situation continues to be volatile in Eswatini as some residents were shot and killed by security forces during protests. According to www.swazilandnews.co.za, King Mswati issued a decree banning protests and delivery of petitions after citizens organised series of protests in demand for democratic reforms.
The news site said, protestors subsequently defied the King who later unleashed the army to shoot and kill dozens of civilians.
Now, the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) came out guns blazing after it was reported that some journalists were assaulted, tortured and detained in the country.
SANEF Secretary-General, Mahlatshe Mahlase said: “The South African National Editors’ Forum calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa and his regional counterparts to urgently demand that the government of Eswatini adhere to SADC media Freedom protocols.
“SANEF is extremely concerned that on 4 July 2021, two New Frame journalists, Magnificent Mndebele and Cebelihle Mbuyisa, who were on assignment in Eswatini were detained, assaulted, and tortured by security forces. Mndebele and Mbuyisa were in Eswatini to report on the pro-democracy protests with a specific focus on the alleged state murders of citizens.”
She said while in the country, they were stopped at roadblocks on several occasions, threatened and forced to delete material from their phones and camera. Mahlase said they condemn the detention, assault and torture of both journalists in the strongest terms and calls for international solidarity with all journalists and activists facing repression in Eswatini.
“We call for the immediate restoration of democratic freedoms in that country, including the right to a free press. For decades, Eswatini’s security forces have been notorious for their brutality against journalists, trade unionists, students and other pro-democracy activists.
“The attempts to silence journalists and activists are aimed, among other things, at trying to prevent the scale of the suffering of the people of Eswatini from being conveyed to people outside the country,” said Mahlase.
She further said as SANEF, they have also noted the blackout of the internet, which they equally condemn as a stringent measure meant to silence the voices of the citizenry, and inconvenience all. Mahlase further said SANEF is concerned about the safety of journalists and media workers which continues to be a huge challenge with increasing reports of attacks such as arbitrary arrest and detention, jailing, physical assault, which are used as weapons to silence critical journalism covering unrests in Eswatini.
“We believe that SADC governments should show a stronger political will to protect journalists and independent journalism to put a stop to the deterioration of media freedom in the region.
“Media freedom is an essential pillar of our democracies in the region which is too often taken for granted. Respect for freedom of the media in Eswatini has disappeared overnight due to the lack of the government conscience to defend human rights,” she said.
Mahlase added that in the last years, they have witnessed an increase in the number of cases of violence and intimidation against journalists. She said SANEF wishes to remind the government of Eswatini of its commitment to media-friendly policies based on the August 1995 SADC declaration on Information and Communication.
“Eswatini undertook to remove systems and procedures that restrict the free movement of journalists, the exchange of news and information and the circulation of media products within the countries and across national boundaries of the countries of the SADC Community.
“It also recognises accreditation documents issued by any SADC Member State to media personnel to cover events and news in the other Member States, of the Community,” she said.
Mahlase said they call on SADC leaders to embrace the principles of free access to information. She said SANEF points the leaders to the letter they co-signed with key media partners including the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), calling for media freedom to be upheld and journalists to be protected.
Meanwhile, key South African news organisations including the public broadcaster (SABC), as well as Newzroom Afrika have had to pull their journalists out of the country due to the ongoing attacks and intimidation on their journalists.
According to www.swazilandnews.co.za, the Senator Manqoba Khumalo, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade has told Channel Africa that protesters who were looting from businesses were armed with guns and government had to shut down the internet to control foreign insurgents who were leading the protests for democratic reforms.
The Guardian 