UPROAR OVER REGISTRATION OF SNAJ AS COMPANY

MBABANE – The Eswatini National Association of Journalists (SNAJ) has been registered as a company without the consent of the president.

In a letter dated August 3, 2023, the President of SNAJ, Welcome Dlamini, complained to the Registrar of Companies about the manner in which the over 30-year old association was registered as a company. He told the registrar that he learnt of the registration of the association with shock wherein Musa Ndlangamandla, Phephile Motau, Ntombi Mhlongo and Zodwa Ndlangamandla have been listed as directors. “I, Welcome Siyabonga Dlamini, am the current, duly elected, President of the said association and would like to put it on record that I know nothing about the registration of this association and was taken by surprise when I saw communication from the Registrar of Companies on the registration and incorporation of same,” reads Dlamini’s letter.

He said the decision to register the association and subsequent appointment of the directors should have been taken by members during an annual general meeting (AGM). “But this has not happened. Therefore, such a mandate does not exist,” he said. He said the said Musa Ndlangamandla and his wife Zodwa Ndlangamandla had no business with SNAJ and, to make matters worse, the latter has never ever been a journalist. Instead, he said she was an employee of the Municipal Council of Mbabane. “It is still a mystery how she has found her name in this association as a director,” the president said. He mentioned in his letter that while Musa has been a journalist for years, he was no longer in practice, but is currently involved in environmental issues as a director for Yibutse Green Action. On the other hand, the president said Phephile and Ntombi were duly elected members of the association’s executive. However, he pointed out that they did not have the power and mandate to carry out such registration and to appoint themselves as directors of the association.

without the mandate

As a result, Dlamini said the whole registration of the association was done clandestinely and without the mandate of the executive and entire membership. He said he engaged Ntombi on this registration and she told him that her signature was forged. He said Ntombi told him that she never appended her signature in any document that had to do with the registration. He advised the registrar to reconsider the status of the association as it was registered illegally. “I kindly request the Office of the Registrar of Companies to reconsider this registration of the association because it has been carried out illegally. I would appreciate the registrar’s guidance in this regard,” he said. Reacting to the issue, Musa Ndlangamandla acknowledged concerns raised by the president. He said he did not have the appetite to drag the matter as their interest was to start a conversation on the revitalisation of the association.

Ndlangamandla mentioned that their intention was to put issues of all journalists and communicators on the agenda. He said these issues included their welfare and career advancement.
He said they were actually tired of seeing scribes and families asking for donations during bereavement. “We have seen some in the past passing away without any funeral policy and I have been called upon at some point to drive the donor-exercise for a deceased fellow journalist,” he said. He said it was a pity that SNAJ has remained unregistered for more than 30 years. “We are happy that the president has raised this issue and we have no appetite to oppose since we have already started a conversation that we engage in for a way forward,” Ndlangamandla said. Regarding non-journalists becoming directors, the former Times of Eswatini journalist and Eswatini Observer chief editor said SNAJ was not only for journalists but citizens could take part in its activities as they have direct interest in the affairs of the association.

It must be said though that lawyers, teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers and others do not allow outsiders to join their professional bodies. He said their vision was to have a Board of Trustees, which was to be the highest decision making body. He explained that the Board of Trustees was superior to the executive and directors. “The Board of Trustees takes decisions that are binding on the executive and directors,” he said. He revealed that the conversation on the registration of SNAJ began a year ago. “Out of respect and processes at hand, and to drive the best interests of all journalists forward, I prefer to set the record straight in an inclusive forum, which I hope the structures within the journalism fraternity will create,” Ndlangamandla said. He said it was important that this matter was taken forward as their only interest was to start a conversation around the welfare and career advancement for journalists and communicators around the country. Contacted for comment, Ntombi referred enquiries to the president of SNAJ. It could not be ascertained whether there was any notice of registration published in the newspapers.

Msebe Malinga, the Registrar, was not available for comment yesterday to indicate if he received the letter. However, he had mentioned briefly that he received a complaint about the registration of the association. Malinga reserves the right to facilitate de-registration of the association or reject appeals against the registrations. In such cases, aggrieved parties can seek court redress. 

 no knowledge

Phephile Motau, the Treasurer of SNAJ, said it was unfortunate that she had no knowledge of the president’s letter, and was actually not privy to its contents. To the best of her knowledge, she said the president, Ntombi and herself discussed that Ndlangamandla should be allowed to spearhead the revival of the association. She said Ndlangamandla was to spearhead the process because they haven’t been able to do anything as an executive since their election into office. “As such, the association was not registered, meaning no one was looking out for the welfare of journalists,” she said. She added: “Welcome must also be truthful, he knew about the registration and we have proof to that regard.” Motau said they had, as an executive, tried several times to engage each other on the revival of the association and other issues, adding that the person who did not participate in any of such conversations was the president. It could not be ascertained how associations for journalists operate in the Southern African Region. There was no online trace for the activities of the South African Journalists Association (SAJA) and Lesotho Association of Journalists.

Meanwhile, SNAJ has a three-year term in office. It has been in office for three years, but only members have a mandate to order the executive to convene an AGM. It is understood that the 2021 civil unrest and COVID-19 pandenic played a negative part in the operations of the association, with regard to holding elections. SNAJ is a non-partisan and professional association, whose members come from different backgrounds. It is against the policy of the association to affiliate to any organisation with political interests. It has no bargaining power as this right is preserved and promoted by the Media Workers Union of Swaziland. The union is at liberty to affiliate to any federation of its choice. SNAJ has a code of ethics, to which courts sometimes refer. It facilitates the environment necessary for journalists to succeed in their careers.

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