EX-CHIEF EDITOR QUESTIONED OVER 2011 ARTICLE

MBABANE – Yet another journalist has been subject to police interest. Musa Ndlangamandla, a seasoned journalist who was once Chief Editor of the Swazi Observer, was yesterday taken in by THE police and questioned about an article he wrote in 2011.

The article was reportedly critical of the State and was viewed by the police as promoting the proscribed entities Umbane and People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).

Ndlangamandla, who is a former member of Liqoqo, was reportedly subjected to intense questioning by members of the Tingculungculu, a police wing which deals with serious crimes and\or investigations. He was purportedly taken in for questioning by two police officers while in the capital city.

News of his ‘detention’ was the talk of social media following a post by Ndlangamandla on his Facebook page after his release. in the post, he alleged that at the police station he was told that a case against him was being investigated. He alleged that the case was based on his interaction with members of PUDEMO and Umbane and further told that he advertised the two political organisations.

“They referred to an incident in 2011 where they raided my office at the Swazi Observer where I was Chief Editor,” Ndlangamandla alleged.
He alleged that he was asked whether he had spoken to political leaders of the country’s opposition groups. He alleged that his response was that he was a journalist and his job was to talk to people and write articles about the truth and anything that was of public interest.

He alleged that he told them that in his 20 and some years as a journalist, he will continue to speak to all emaSwati, regardless of their political affiliation. He said he informed the police that he spoke to PUDEMO stalwarts and ultra conservatives.

“I told them that I find that these people belong to Swaziland and they have a right and a stake in how the country is run. I told them that I believe the country is badly run and that my duty as a journalist is to write about such,” reads Ndlangamandla’s post in part.

He said he told the police that he was openly against bad governance and that he was for political pluralism. He alleged that they informed him that they were preparing a statement to give to the director of public prosecutions (DPP).
“I told them that my views will not change and my calling as a journalist is that I should publish anything and everything that is of public interest,” he said.

Instruction

Ndlangamandla further disclosed that his friend and colleague Bheki Makhubu stormed the cop shop and told them where to get off, and that what they were doing was wrong. He said Makhubu also asked on whose instruction were they acting, to intimidate, threaten and arrest journalists.
In an interview, Ndlangamandla reiterated what he posted on his Facebook page. He narrated that he was later released and told to return to the police station at 9am today.

Makhubu, in an interview, said Ndlangamandla had only returned to the country for about six months and he was subjected to such treatment. He raised his concern that hardly weeks after a new government took office, Ndlangamandla was detained. He wondered if this was the new agenda to deal with journalists.
“Is this how they plan to change the country into a viable economic entity?” Makhubu asked.

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