Law tightens on Facebook, Twitter users

LOBAMBA – The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze says the law will take its course on those who besmirch the image of the country and King Mswati III on Facebook and Twitter.

Facebook and Twitter are social media internet chat networks that have millions of subscribers internationally and have gained a lot of popularity locally.

Subscribers post any kind of information about anything or anyone for the reading and commentary of multitudes of people.

However, the minister, during the Portfolio Committee budget debate on his ministry, said he too had noted that the good reputation of the country and that of the King was being tarnished, hence something needed to be done.

The matter was first raised by Senator Thuli Msane, who said people continuously wrote terrible things about the nation and its authorities on social media.

"It’s like the moment Swazi people cross the border to neighbouring countries they begin to go on a campaign to disrespect their own country and King. Surely there is something that must be done with them. There must be a law that can take them to task," said Msane.

The minister sought to address the senator’s concerns by saying there were international laws which can be enforced to bring such people to book.

He however did not mention these laws.

Secret recruitments at Correctional Services?

Even though the department had stated that it needed about 150 people close to 11 000 showed up for the recruitment exercise. However, the senator alleged that "people were secretly recruited a long time ago".

"What the department did recently was trying do appear as being on the fair side in public, otherwise, I heard they now need 10 people," said Gamedze.

Other senators wanted to know why the department was recruiting people when government suspended recruitments last year.

In response, Minister of Justice and Constitutional, Affairs Mgwagwa Gamedze, said as far as he was concerned the public recruitment exercise was the only one where people applied.

 He said he was not aware of secret recruitment that went on before.

He also explained that the department had to recruit people to replace those who were retired or dead.

Comments

Why do the politicians think dat evrythin is fyn and well when they are just takin a nap on those comfortable chairs? But the recruitment must be done every year becoz a lot of things hapen on ds civil servants,so da forces nid some new faces 2 replace those. People are lukin 4 proper jobs,dat will give them a gud retirement salary, as da circular no1 suits da politicians.
Mar 23, 2012, 4:26 AM, sabelo (sabelomgezi@gmail.com)

I totally respect what they are trying to do, and I think it's great. It sounds to me that they are trying to protect the name of the king, which is really great, but I'm not sure if they do consider the fact that people say what they say because they care about their welfare and they know that they have a right to talk. Swaziland is not just about the king, it's about citizens and there is a lot of them. We really need democracy in Swaziland, freedom of speech. The lack of democracy in Swaziland is the same reason people are not willing to invest more into our country. I know what I just said is too simplistic to be close to reality, but I think there is some truth in it.
Mar 23, 2012, 4:26 AM, sakhile dlamini (sakhiledlamin@yahoo.com)

Which Law is that?
Mar 23, 2012, 4:26 AM, madlisa (madlisa@gmail.com)

The minister is simply mistaken. International laws protect the freedom of speech not the fragile egos of Swazi ministers. In just one week, the government has already shown that the promises it made to the United Nations in Geneva to uphold Human Rights are hollow.
Mar 23, 2012, 8:37 AM, Laura Norder (thally@me.com)

 "Secret Recruiting at Correctional Services", thats what Mgwagwa and Thuli Msane should be talking about and forget about people who said this and that about so and so. Thats useless, you can't stop people from talking and even Jesus said that if we remain silent the rocks will talk. Im not saying i support those who blackmail others here but my point is, let us deal with fundamental issues like what Ngomyayona raised. Its corruption, and not only the Correctional department is corrupt, the government as a whole is corrupt through and through. Amend your ways first before you accuse people of blackmailing you ngci...THERE'S NO SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE!
Mar 23, 2012, 10:31 AM, Kalawa (kalawaz45@yahoo.com)

ufanele Thuli kukhuluma kanje, bantfwa bakhe bafundza ngesheya kwetilwandle, and she feels while her children enjoy the freedoms of expression in other countries she should keep the Swazi nation gagged by the proposed legislation. She is stabbing the King at the back instead of offering sound advice on what other avenues may be created to foster dialogue among Swazis at all levels
Mar 23, 2012, 10:31 AM, Thembela (tmthole7@yahoo.com)

I'm happy that our politicians have now waken up from their slumber. They now want to monitor things happening in the country. The first stop to monitor Sirs and Madams is the millions of emalangeni lost each month within our government. Then monitor that every Swazi has something to eat, shelter to live in, basic education, health care and many necessities that we need as ordinary Swazis. See to it that circular 1 is scrapped off because it digs deep into the pockets of taxpayers. Once you start to understand that you are there at the mercy of the poor Swazis you will appreciate that they are living in abject poverty and you will serve their interests not yours. If all is well in the country, no one would have thought of going to social media to spread the dirty linen of the country. Find ways to resurrect our economy because this is the beggining not the end of trouble in the country.
Mar 23, 2012, 10:31 AM, Banele (gudlizintaba@yahoo.com)

Why does everything in Swaziland have to revolve around our leaders and the image of the country? As far as i know the image of this country is already tainted. What about foreign media which portrays the bad side of Swaziland willy-nilly? Are they also going to monitor SABC's cutting edge and etv's 3rd degree? Are they really going to spend their time on facebook trying to trace cyber activists instead of searching for the imaginary Scarface? These people we call parliamentarians never cease to amaze me. On the armed forces part, that is very true. Siyabati labadiza bangena embutfweni, but since this is Swaziland, kubindvwa kubonwa and i will do so too!
Mar 23, 2012, 10:31 AM, Lord Anthony (anthonym198@gmail.com)

This is proof that most of the people in Parliament dont really know why they there. Instead of discussing the grave issues affecting the country like corruption, poverty, the dwindling they are interested in bo facebook. As citizens of this beloved country we are interested in what you are doin in addressing these issues. Ever heard of freedom of speech? If you want people to stop bad mouthing the country be seen addressing the problems we are currently facing. Or maybe you do not find the need to so since you are well taken care of up there.
Mar 23, 2012, 3:31 PM, khethiwe Mavso

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