By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:Jabu Matsebula,the Secretary General of the Eswatini Editors Forum(EEF) has apologized to Prime Minister Russell Dlamini over the hard-hitting sentiments, uttered by Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu against the PM during the recent Breakfast Meeting.

This is contained in a press statement released by Jabu Matsebula on Wednesday,the Secretary General was acting on behalf of the Chairman, who was allegedly ordered by the PM to give assurance that, editors particularly Bheki Makhubu, will not blast him again.

Editor Bheki Makhubu previously blasted the PM and went as far as questioning “who he think he is”, after the Prime Minister responded with arrogance and refused to account amid non-availability of drugs in public hospitals.

“The Forum wishes to unreservedly apologize to His Excellency for the embarrassment caused by offensive statements and for the collapse in decorum.The Forum therefore wishes to assure His Excellency and other guests that it has taken serious lessons from the incident and will in future be more careful of the quality of its participants. Finally, being conscious of the effect on its relationship with His Excellency as a result of its last meeting and note with appreciation His Excellency’s wish to explore other structured arrangements for his future engagement with the public through the media. The Forum wishes to assure His Excellency that the Editors’ platform stands ready to host him at any time at his convenience”, reads the statement in part.

But in a statement sent to this Swaziland News, in response to the Editors Forum Chairman position on the subject matter, editor Bheki Makhubu labelled the press statement issued by Secretary General Jabu Matsebula as illegal adding that, it does not reflect the true position of all the editors who are members of the Editors Forum.

“This statement has no standing in law or anywhere simply because the meeting that took the resolution to draft and publish it did not form a quorum. This kind of behaviour is in line with this new kind of leadership tendency in this country. It has to stop. We can’t live in a country littered with despots everywhere, drunk with power when emaSwati have entrusted them with public affairs. This statement has no standing in law. There is no place for despotism in eSwatini”, said the Nation Magazine editor.