Times Of Swaziland: SAD DAY FOR JOURNALISM – EDITOR’S FORUM

SAD DAY FOR JOURNALISM – EDITOR’S FORUM
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BY SISHO MAGAGULA on 26/07/2014 10:18:00


MBABANE – The Editors’ Forum has described Friday, July 25, 2014 as a sad
day for journalism in the country.
This was yesterday when High Court Judge, Mpendulo Simelane imposed a two-year
sentence without an option of a fine on the Nation Magazine Editor Bheki Makhubu
and Human Rights Lawyer, Thulani Maseko.
Chairman of the Editors’ Forum Mbongeni Mbingo described the sentence as
alarming.
“Bheki Makhubu is a member of the Editors’ Forum, he is a senior editor and
he is highly regarded in the profession. Therefore, today has been a very sad
day for all of us in the profession.
“The sentence is alarming to us in the industry. I have been following the
case as a journalist, as editor and a colleague to Bheki, but I never saw this
coming. I didn’t think the sentence could be this drastic,” he said.
Predicament
Mbingo said as editors and media practitioners, they would have to study the
judgment to avoid finding themselves in the same predicament.
“I think we will obviously have to look at it and study it as media personnel
to understand where the judge is coming from and to understand where the
infringement was in order to ensure that we don’t find ourselves in the same
situation.
“More than anything it’s important for us to understand what we stand for as
a profession; it’s important to understand our role in society. We need to
perform our role in society as respectfully as we can and also as unafraid as
possible,” he said.
Mbingo clarified that he couldn’t comment on the judgment because doing so
would probably constitute contempt of court but insisted that he was at pains,
following yesterday’s events.
“I can’t really comment on the sentencing, I can’t comment on the severity
or not of it because doing so I would be in contempt but as a friend and
colleague to Bheki, I’m in pain,” he said.
Sentence has no place in modern democratic society - TUCOSWA
MBABANE – The Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) has condemned the
two-year sentence imposed by Judge Mpendulo Simelane on Bheki Makhubu and
Thulani Maseko yesterday.
The federation says Judge Simelane’s judgment has no place in modern
democratic society.
Maseko has represented TUCOSWA in numerous court cases, such as the legal battle
against government where the federation wanted to be registered and recognised
by the government.
“The offence allegedly committed by the duo were their opinions in the monthly
Nation Magazine edited by Mr Makhubu, where they questioned the arrest of the
Government Chief Vehicle Inspector, a member of NAPSAWU, an affiliate of the
Federation, who was arrested for correctly executing his duties.
“The appointment of the judge who presided over their case is being challenged
as irregular by the Law Society of Swaziland as he is allegedly not qualified to
be appointed a Judge of the High Court in terms of the Constitution of
Swaziland.
Challenge
“The legal challenge is pending before the High Court with serious
frustrations of being allocated a date of trial,” said the federation in a
statement signed by its Secretary General Vincent Ncongwane.
Like the Lawyers for the Human Rights, TUCOSWA further expressed concern at the
tone that was used by the judge when imposing the sentence on the duo.
The federation once again wishes to state that the arrest, conviction and
sentence of Mr Maseko and Makhubu is very unfortunate and has no space in the
modern democratic society.
The federation was seriously shocked at the tone the court used when delivering
the judg-ment. It was scaring to say the least.
We are calling upon all peace-loving citizens of this world to join our call for
the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Maseko and Mr Makhubu since their
prolonged incarceration defies all sense and logic,” said TUCOSWA.