By Zweli Martin Dlamini

The first edition of the State controlled Eswatini Financial Times reported that foreign agencies donated over R130million to the pro-democracy movement and that the editor of this Swaziland News was one of the beneficiaries.

The article was written by Alec Lushaba who, of late, claims to be an investigative journalist with the ability to access even our bank accounts.

Before the launch of the Eswatini Financial Times, Lushaba sent me a questionnaire enquiring about a five hundred thousand(R500,000.00)proof of payment allegedly from the National Democracy Institute(NDI) and I told him that the document was fake, he continued to publish the story despite being warned by the Embassy of the United States that no amount was paid to Zweli Martin Dlamini by the NDI.

Lushaba, the former Swazi Observer editor failed to use common sense and analyze the document, by so doing, he could have understood that no international organization can fund a newspaper with hard cash instead of a bank electronic transfer.

Now, after analyzing my online platforms, Lushaba rushed to publish a story suggesting that the Swaziland News is broke with a negative balance, for that reason, the editor is resigning as the terrorism proscription is hitting hard on him.

It is worth mentioning that if Lushaba was a real investigative journalist, at least he should have contacted journalists of this publication to ask if they were paid their salaries this month, thereafter, he could have obtained founding evidence before continuing with his so called investigations.

But because Lushaba is a former Swazi Observer editor where investigative journalism is not practiced, he published ‘wishes’ as evidence.

Let me bring to the attention of  Alec Lushaba that the Swaziland News is a South African company, it was never proscribed by the SA Government, that’s why it’s bank account is active and continues to operate freely as if nothing has happened.

Furthermore, Mswati’s Government failed to get an extradition and now he is reluctant to go to court hoping that the proscription will scare international partners.

 Lushaba must publish an investigative story narrating how the R130million he claimed we received was spent, he should check our bank accounts and expose that before concluding that a publication is broke.

How can you publish that a publication is funded by foreign agents for a Winter Revolution, then three months later, you come-up with another false story suggesting that publication is broke hoping that the people have forgotten what you previously published?.

State journalists including Lushaba have been doing this for years, playing around with people’s minds, publishing misinformation deliberately is and remains, a shame to journalism.

The problem started when journalists colluded and attempted to take on another journalist just to get the attention of Labadzala.

State editor Alec Lushaba is under pressure to prove that he can take-on ‘Zwemart’, unfortunately, he always misses the target and discredits himself in the process.

Investigative journalism is not for people like Alec Lushaba, before being an investigative journalist, you must be naturally brilliant.

But editor Alec Lushaba is far from being brilliant, a person with a short memory cannot be an investigative journalist.

He first claimed that over R130million was received for a June Winter Revolution, then by merely reading my Facebook posts, he forgot what he previously published and claimed that this publication is now broke and grounded.

Even if this publication could be broke, it will continue operating and drive the agenda to advance the calls for democratic reforms.

In conclusion, let me remind Alec Lushaba that State journalists like Mbongeni Mbingo, Welcome Dlamini, Innocent Maphalala, Phephisa Khoza, Vuyisile Hlatjwako, the late editors Thulani Tfwala and Kenneth Dlamini have tried and all of them have a byline under a headline with my name.

Therefore, Alec Lushaba must continue trying, maybe bakaNgwane will recognize him.

I don’t have a problem with journalists who publish facts, Alec Lushaba must publish a proof of payment for the R130million he claimed we received from international donors and then tell the Nation how that money was spent, before jumping to another conclusion suggesting that a publication is broke.

It is the tendency of the Swazi Observer to publish lies and then months or years later push another narrative thinking the public has forgotten what was previously published.

Alec Lushaba resigned with that propaganda tendency to join the Eswatini Financial Times, he destroyed a huge media project with a potential in its first edition.