By Zweli Martin Dlamini

Dennis Mbingo, the outgoing Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the First National Bank(FNB) has won a defamation of character case against The Bridge online publication, the High Court awarded him three hundred and fifty thousand Rands(R350,000.00).

While I am expected to defend journalism and freedom of the media, perhaps let me state that as journalists, we must remember that our job is sensitive, we are handling people’s reputations and therefore, when we expose any wrongdoing, it must be based on substantive evidence or facts.

As the media, we also need institutions that will protect our freedom but at the same time, protect the individual right to human dignity, the court is one of those institutions.

I’m in court with the King and the eSwatini Government and, even though we won the case that is now subject to appeal, the Acting Judge made comments that required an introspection on my part, journalists must strike the balance between public interest and the right to human dignity.

The stories that we write normally result to others losing jobs, tenders and the way the society views them changes, no person deserves to be humiliated in the court of public opinion without facts, our role to hold those in power accountable should be objective, fair and in the public interest.

Even though I am criticizing the story published by The Bridge, that does not mean I’m always right in my line of duty as a journalist, I also need some criticism to shape the way I do things, I cannot be always right.

But what was more concerning about the story of the FNB Eswatini CEO was that, he was accused of having sex with female staff, this allegation was threatening his career and I’m sure, he took the matter to court to clear his name and enable the online publication to present evidence not because he wants the R350,000.00.

Manqoba Chavez Nxumalo, the editor of The Bridge is a known gossiper who thinks he knows journalism, maybe this R350,000.00 defamation judgement will remind him that, in journalism facts must be the foundation of a story not gossip and unfounded allegations.

Manqoba once accused me of being funded by the African Alliance partner and King’s Financial Advisor Sthofeni Ginindza including the then Prime Minister(PM) Ambrose Mandvulo.

I was then informed by some international donors funding the Swaziland News that, Nxumalo submitted a proposal and this means, he was scandalizing me with an intention to secure donors for his financially struggling online publication, he failed in his evil mission.

I am still waiting for evidence suggesting that, I am funded by Sthofeni Ginindza or Ambrose Dlamini, the FNB CEO actually did well to remind these gossip journalists that, you cannot climb the ladder by destroying another person.

That Sthofeni Ginindza and other high profile individuals who are close to me attended my wedding, made gossip journalists like Mancoba Nxumalo and his allies in the media, to conclude that, he is funding me.

But if I can drag him to court and produce my bank statements of all the international projects I’m busy with that gives me money, maybe I can get my own R350,000.00 from The Bridge because Nxumalo has been struggling to produce the evidence, afterall he doesn’t have evidence to substantiate his stories except to remind us that he knows journalism more than anyone.

Mancoba Nxumalo took a gossip that was spread by Swazi Observer Managing Editor Mbongeni Mbingo and others in the print media who were fighting me, and opted to write an article, FNB CEO Dennis Mbingo was even lucky to be contacted, The Bridge normally writes a long essay without a comment from the person who is accused in the article.

In this regard, there’s a possibility that, Nxumalo was asked by Dennis Mbingo’s enemies to just scandalize him.

A sex story is complicated because it’s hard to proof those allegations even if you can catch the couple leaving a Hotel, you cannot allege or conclude that, they were having sex as a matter of fact.

Accusing a whole CEO of a reputable bank of having sex with employees is a serious allegation, if this allegation could be proven to be true, Mbingo deserved to be fired and isolated in the corporate sector.

But journalism is not about destroying innocent people, I will say “Dennis Mbingo is innocent” because The Bridge failed to prove before the court that, the CEO  was sleeping with female staff.

I am sure if, together with Sthofeni Ginindza, can file our own lawsuits demanding evidence of the allegations against us, Nxumalo and his online publication could fail to submit same.

The Bridge joins other so called online publications that strives with gossip and lies to gain followers, the problem is that, lawsuits are normally directed to the media company and the editor or journalist not followers.

Mancoba Nxumalo has now landed Public Relations expert Mancoba Mabuza in trouble because, the court ordered Mabuza to pay the R350,000.00 as the real owner of the online publication was hiding behind him, Mabuza knew nothing about that article and, Mancoba Nxumalo must clarify that and face his own troubles for gossiping about high profile people without evidence, he must not link Mabuza who has a stable job to this mess 

Journalism must remain credible, I am sure if The Bridge could write an apology to FNB CEO Dennis Mbingo and apologise he can even cancel the demand for R350,000.00 awarded by the court, after-all he took the matter to court to restore his reputation not because he is desperate for this money.

I first met the FNB CEO in a Media Workshop where he was lecturing us on a financial literacy and economic development topic, to me he was a good man and when I read The Bridge story, I was surprised.

Mancoba Nxumalo must just humble himself, apologize to the CEO and negotiate a plan to correct the mess, Mbingo was eyeing jobs in South Africa and other countries, he wouldn’t have allowed this defamation crusade to go on unchallenged.