Times Of Swaziland: RADIO BAN ON MPS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

RADIO BAN ON MPS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
================================================================================
 BY SIBONGILE SUKATI on 05/03/2014 02:42:00


LOBAMBA – The Public Announcement Regulations which in most instances have
barred MPs from speaking on national radio and TV are against the national
Constitution.
Manzini North MP Jan Sithole said the regulations were clearly against the
freedom of speech and expression and therefore were in violation of the
Constitution.
The MPs, during the debate of the budget performance for the Ministry of
Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), expressed concern that they
were not allowed to speak on the national broadcasters.
Mafutseni MP Christopher Gamedze was the most bothered about the ban, stating
that on January 17, 2014 a TV reporter had put it in black and white that he
would not be granted an interview, but instead should get an ordinary member of
the community to speak on his behalf.
“We are the drivers of the Tinkhundla system so why are we not allowed on
electronic media to promote this?” he asked. Mangcongco MP Patrick ‘Pha’
Motsa said ministers were given limitless time to speak on radio and one could
drive from as far as Bhunya to Manzini with one person talking.
LaMgabhi MP Sicelo Jele said they were not allowed to make announcements on
matters involving their constituents and asked why there was no freedom of
expression.
ICT Minister Dumisani Ndlangamandla said if MPs wanted to make announcements on
radio they had to get stamps from their chiefs because many meetings had been
called by communities without the elders’ knowledge.
However, Sithole insisted that this was a violation of the Constitution which
was the Supreme Law of the land.