BHEKI HITS BACK AS ... SOME SENATORS CRITICISE REACTION TO PM

LOBAMBA – Senators have criticised The Nation Magazine Editor, Bheki Makhubu, for the manner in which he addressed the Prime Minister (PM), Russell Dlamini.

The senators said inasmuch as the editor, who is also a member of the Eswatini Editors Forum, was not happy with how the PM was responding to questions, he could have addressed his dissatisfactions with respect. The senators said Makhubu’s behaviour was not only disrespectful to the PM, but to the authority that appointed him as well. The issue was brought up by Senator Chief Prince Gcokoma yesterday during a Senate sitting. The senator rose on Standing Order 63 and stated that he had a burning issue that he felt needed to be addressed in the presence of the PM, who was also part of the sitting. The PM was in Senate to deliver the Government Policy Statement. The PM stayed throughout the session.

Proceedings

“I want to address this before the PM leaves. I am struggling to even follow the proceedings, because there is a lot of noise made that is affecting the nation regarding what happened on Friday. It is unSwati to attack and ridicule the PM and his Cabinet for the sake of your profession or exercising freedom of expression or freedom of rights,” he said. The senator did not mention Bheki Makhubu’s name, but it is public knowledge that on Friday, during the third Editors Forum meeting with the PM, there was a showdown between Makhubu and the PM, where Makhubu also told the PM that in the history of PMs, he is the worst.  The senator said regardless of what may have happened, the PM is the head of government and deserves respect. “I love the PM and his Cabinet, because they work very hard,” he said. The chief urged the media to respect and uphold buSwati and be constructive, rather than to destroy. The senator said if the PM had somehow upset the media or anyone, the correct way to address it could be to visit him and iron out issues rather than ridiculing each other in public.

Words

The senator added that inasmuch as the issue was addressed publicly, the choice of words that were used in a circulating video was uncalled for. “I heard someone saying; ‘Who the hell do you think you are’, directing it to the PM,” he said. The chief said even if the individual who uttered those words disrespected the PM, there was no need to utter that phrase as he took it too far. He said it was important for people to mind their language,  no matter how upset they might be and not lose respect.“Kuyadzingeka kutsi lulwimi lwakho ulucole, kutoba liciniso lotokusho kepha lenhlonipho imicokwa (It is important not to have a loose tongue, no matter the message you are communicating),” he said.He said the manner in which the PM was addressed would follow him everywhere he goes and that is unacceptable, especially for a head of government. The senator said he noted in disbelief that there were people who were applauding this individual. He said the PM did not deserve to be addressed in the way it occurred on Friday and the media needed to conduct some introspection.

Duties

The Senate President, Lindiwe Dlamini, applauded the chief for raising the issue and said that was one of the duties of chiefs. Dlamini said what occurred on Friday is foreign, as they only see it in other countries and never thought it would happen in Eswatini. “EmaSwati’s upbringing is rooted in respect and manners. The issue surprised everyone in the country. Siyakuncesitela Mhlonishwa Ndvunankhulu, solo ngitsi singemaSwati (sorry for what happened to you PM),” she said.

The Senate president referred to Paragraph 22 of the Government Policy Statement, which speaks to national identity, heritage and family values. Dlamini alluded to the chief and said: “You can say anything in Eswatini, as long as it is said with respect, it is okay. We respect the authority that appointed you to that office. The King appointed the PM at Sibaya for emaSwati. In the few months you have been appointed there was nothing that you could have done to deserve such humiliation. We condemn such behaviour and our children should not emulate such behaviour,” he said. She urged men to lead the country and homes with integrity. Dlamini also urged the media at large never to prioritise respect. “Respect whoever you talk to or write about, because they might have children and other people who look up to them,” she said.

MAKHUBU RESPOPNDS
“One of the attributes that make a great journalist is having listening skills and getting the context right in order to feed the public with proper information. One would expect that anyone who exercises public power and whose views shape a country’s policies, such as politicians, would also have such qualities as a matter of course. If anyone listens to what I said, you will hear that I had asked the PM, who he thought he was, after pointing out to him that even King Mswati III had never treated journalists with the patronising contempt we have experienced with Russell ever since we started interacting with him early this year.

Statement
“If I was wrong by pointing this out to him, then I do not want to be right. My reading of the shock at my statement seeks to suggest that King Mswati III’s tolerance and generosity towards journalists and the media was always wrong and, therefore, Prime Minister (PM) Russell Dlamini’s behaviour is actually the correct one. I vehemently disagree. King Mswati III has been on the throne for 38 years and should be credited for his astuteness as a Monarch and senior Statesman not just in this country, but also in Africa and the world.  PM Russell has only been in his lesser office for nine months. This difference should count and he could learn a lot from the King about public discourse. Or is that not helpful to Eswatini, because the PM knows better, as is being suggested by the senators?”

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