I once received a call from the late Swazi TV Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Bongani ‘Sigcokosincinca’ Dlamini, he said “ukuphi ye-Zwemart asesibonane lendzaweni naku ngigijinyiswa ngu-Bingo afuna sikhundla sami”.
The Swazi TV CEO was a very conservative,independent minded and intelligent person, we used to call our meeting at restaurant “endzaweni” while talking over the phone for security reasons.
During the meeting, Sigcoko presented some evidence suggesting that, Swazi Observer Managing editor Mbongeni Mbingo had applied to become the next Swazi TV Chief Executive Officer(CEO) while on the other hand, using the newspaper to scandalize ‘Sigcokosiyancinca’ so that he can take over his position.
We had to neutralize Mbongeni Mbingo in a very ‘brutal’ but professional way that I will not mention here, because clearly, what he was doing amounted to corruption and/or conflict of interest, in terms of the Prevention of Corruption Act, he was abusing power for dishonest gain.
It’s been years since the Swazi Observer editor attempted to resign from the media and join the corporate sector but,allegations of dating one of King Mswati’s Inkhosikati, remain an obstacle in his ambitions, he now wants to be seen taking on this publication to gain favors from the Prime Minister Russell Dlamini administration.
Mbingo attempted to try and mislead the Nation that the Mpumalanga Court order was suggesting that, this online publication must give Government 72-hours to respond before publishing anything, he manipulated the court document to promote Government.
Indeed, the captured and alleged corrupt editor was excited thinking the interim order marks the end of this independent publication.
This publication is not only causing a headache to Government or royalty but the captured newspapers are being pushed out of business while journalists who were known to be powerful some years ago were rendered useless, they want it closed as a matter of urgency and therefore, celebrate any attempted move in this regard.
As a result of the establishment of this online publication, the very same Mbongeni Mbingo is busy applying for jobs in the various State owned entities while eyeing the position of being a Government Spokesperson, the once powerful editor and his alleged allies was rendered useless by the emergence of this publication.
Even the misleading decision previously adopted by Government, refusing to comment when approached by this publication,Mbingo was allegedly part of that advice, he was trying to appear as if he is assisting Prime Minister(PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini so that he can employ him as Government Spokesperson.
Mbingo once tried to influence other newspapers not to report anything about ‘Zwemart’ , he said doing so promotes the ‘boy’ who thinks he knows journalism more than all journalists,that was more than five(5) years ago.
This decision was pre-empted by Times editor Mfankhona Nkambule, the then President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers(SNAJ), Nkambule said “kuvunyelwene kutsi Zwemart akangangeni nje ku-print media, akadlale online”, Nkambule disclosed under frustration after this publication exposed a secret letter allegedly implicating as a spy for the State.
But as the online publication grew, with various international media entities endorsing the Swaziland News, Mbingo and his eSwatini media allies decided to break their own rule but, they started to report saying “one of the online publications” when referring and trying to counter information published by this independent online publication.
Finally, after failing to bury this publication, Mbingo and his allies started to refer to this publication as the “Swaziland News” but only when attempting to scandalize it.
Well, let me bring to the attention of the captured editor that, this publication is going nowhere and after that interim order, some international organizations pledged to defend media freedom until the South African Constitutional Court issue a verdict and if Mbingo thinks this is about ‘Zwemart’, then that would mean he is stupid.
As a journalist, I will continue to publish stories and give parties involved reasonable time to respond as we have been doing, anyone with a different interpretation of the court order, demanding seventy-two(72hours), will have to provide a clear clarification from the court suggesting that, the said published articles were within the description contained in the order.
It wasn’t me who issued a Circular,directing all public officials not to respond to the Swaziland News, the very same captured media was excited around the 20th January 2024, reporting that Government will no longer respond to this publication.
As to who told these stupid and alleged low minded clowns that, refusing to respond will destroy this publication and will stop us from publishing, nobody knows.
We have been vigorously continuing with our journalism duties here while watching the captured media and Tinkhundla system changing its own decisions(like a chameleon) against this independent online publication.
But Mbongeni Mbingo must be very careful,the Swaziland News has high profile sympathizers and is deep rooted even within the Tinkhundla system of governance,Mbingo is now trying to be relevant with the system.
The captured editor must just write application letters if he wants a job in Government or present cattle to King Mswati not to try and attack the Swaziland News and myself to gain favours from those in power, I know how he operates and I was hands-on in neutralizing him after he tried to remove Bongani Sigcosincinca Dlamini as Swazi TV Chief Executive Officer(CEO).
Furthermore, I once served as the Executive member of the Eswatini Editors Forum(EEF) working with the same Mbingo, he was a sellout to agree to be used by political forces against another journalist.
Even though I’m not part of the Editors Forum Executive Commitee now, some eSwatini editors and journalists working on the media self-regulation are consistently reporting to me what is happening and Mbingo must be careful, a free and independent media is about the people.
I am not hungry like Mbingo to a point of begging a job from Government or royalty and if Mbingo is desperate for jobs from the Tinkhundla cruel regime, he must not use the media as a bargaining tool, selling the media amounts to betraying the whole country.
I recently applauded Mbingo for defending the media in a Parliament workshop but because he is a political chameleon,the information I’m receiving from members of the Editors Forum suggests that, Mbingo has changed and is prepared to destroy the media to secure a job in Government.
The nonsense and propaganda Mbingo published after the Mpumalanga High Court interim order, suggests that, he was excited that,the Swaziland News has been buried, this publication is going no-where and as the persecution continues, it gains more international recognition.
But let me state categorically that, this publication has created networks around the world, it can even have branches in many countries including Asia and Europe, some of its servers could be hosted in those countries.
Anyone who thinks of destroying this publication by any means must know that, the founder of the Swaziland News is not low minded, while fighting a battle, he always explore Plan B.
It is for these reasons the Swaziland News was established after the very same Mbingo and his syndicate closed the then Swaziland Shopping,he celebrated for a few months and I wonder why the captured editor celebrated this week after failing to interpret a court order thinking it was marking the end of this publication.
Actually, Mbingo ought to have understood that, if during my youthful age, I was able to establish an online publication that is now internationally recognized, after Government closed the then Swaziland Shopping and survived the ongoing political persecution to this far, how much more now with all the experience I have gained over the years in the wilderness amid persecution?.
This publication was registered in South Africa because we have trust in the democratic institutions of the Republic of South Africa(RSA) and with our international partners and sympathizers, we will explore all available legal platforms in SA to defend media freedom.
Swazi Observer editor Mbongeni Mbingo is fifty-two(52) years and I am forty-one(41), it’s a shame for an elderly man to be still looking for a job at his age, Mbingo wants to sell and destroy the media before qualifying for an elderly grant in the next few years.
But I can only advice Mbingo to use other means to please Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini or the Tinkhundla system as he apply for jobs not to target this publication, the Swaziland News is way above his stupidity.
It’s stupidity to work for thirty(30) years as an editor and still be desperate to be employed by Tinkhundla,in fact I now regret why I voted for Mbingo to be the Chairman of the Editors Forum, he must thank Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu who convinced me that he is a good man.
But I don’t think Makhubu wanted Mbingo to behave this way, in fact, some of us were convinced that, Mbingo had the best interests of the media at heart, having seen him working hard as Times Sunday editor.
But the problem is that, no independent journalist in the world ever agreed, that he/she has been officially “captured”, trusted scribes gradually change to become puppets.
I respect those journalists who resigned from the media in search for greener pastures without selling journalism, Mbingo is allegedly working with Russell Mmiso Dlamini to destroy the media.
But Mbingo must stop trying to bury this publication,if he is hungry, he must use other means to please the Tinkhundla system for political appointments, otherwise,he will regret because this independent online publication is far above his captured and low minded imagination.
Editor Mbongeni Mbingo.