By Zweli Martin Dlamini

We reported widely about the persecution of citizens, human rights defenders including independent journalists by Mswati’s regime, unfortunately, the State controlled media has one eye, it can’t see on the other side of oppression.

Police invaded our homes armed with guns, tortured and killed dozens of citizens, again the State controlled media with one eye, struggled to report without fear or favour and be the voice of the people.

When security forces killed and threw protesting citizens into fire at the Brewery in Matsapha, the one eyed State media suppressed the voice of the masses, but its other eye controlled by capitalists including Michello Shakantu and other members of Mswati’s corrupt syndicate managed to witness the over R 38million damage at the Brewery.

Recently, Nomthantazo Maseko, a journalist of the Swati NewsWeek online publication was assaulted by security officers while covering the shooting of SWALIMO members who had gone to visit pro-democracy MP Mathandeni Dube at the Matsapha Prison, again the one eyed State controlled media failed to witness this unfortunate incident.

After the assault of the journalist who was subsequently hospitalized, I was contacted by Reporters Without Borders, a press freedom organization based in France asking Maseko’s contacts with an intention to assist.

In this country, we have an association of journalist(SNAJ), its President is Times journalist  Welcome Dlamini, it seems that organization has one eye and can’t see on the other side of oppression.

An organization based in France was able to know that a journalist was assaulted by security forces, but our one eyed SNAJ kept quiet as if nothing has happened. 

But it’s not the first time, the one eyed State controlled media struggled to see things happening in this country particularly the persecution of the citizens including journalists who are the voice of the people.

When independent journalists were persecuted and forced into exile, only the international media reported, our one eyed State controlled media was unable to see the persecution except to call independent journalists fugitives.

But the conduct of our one eyed media is interesting, they are quick to misquote pro-democracy activists and independent journalists to push certain narratives.

It should be noted that despite the attempts by the one eyed media to mislead the people, the calls for democratic reforms will intensify, there shouldn’t be any political romance for a regime that kills people.

We hope our one eyed State media will eventually see that this country belongs to the people, no amount of propaganda will stop the calls for democratic reforms.