MBABANE: Zweli Martin Dlamini, the editor of the Swaziland News says, he will lobby international journalists to oppose Mbabane East Member of Parliament(MP) Welcome Dlamini’s sentiments urging the State to regulate the media.
Dlamini said,even though the State regulation will not affect this publication as it is registered in South Africa,he was eager to see the media in eSwatini operating freely without any influence from the State particularly because, the Swaziland News will eventually have an office in eSwatini.
“I will not sit down and relax just because this won’t affect the Swaziland News,the media is an institution with different owners including government. Each media house whether it’s the Times, Observer, Eswatini TV or Channel S is important because it diversity the flow of information,it is important. There are stories that could be covered by the Observer, the Times or Channel S that cannot be covered by the Swaziland News.On the other hand, there are stories that could be covered by the Swaziland News that cannot be covered by other media houses.But, the public needs all the information even if it’s weather forecast. So,no media house is important than the other,we need diversity of views and information.We can say the Observer is pro-government or Tinkhundla but the truth is; the public wants to know what government is saying or doing and the Observer fills that vacuum,”said the editor.
On another note, the editor thanked Eswatini Observer Managing Editor Mbongeni Mbingo for defending the media before Members of Parliament(MPs),he pledged to play his part at international level should government dare regulate the media.He said editors compete for stories and clash sometimes but, their common interest is the independence of the media and the public and should anything emerge threatening the “common interest”, they will speak in one voice and rebuke it.
Swazi Observer editor Mbongeni Mbingo.