MBABANE: Bhekithemba Makhubu, the editor of the Nation Magazine has criticized government for facilitating a new law targeting online publications.
Makhubu, a member of the Eswatini Editors Forum was quoted by Inhlase Centre for Investigative Journalism questioning the motive behind The Harmful Digital Communication Bill 2020 that seeks to undermine freedom of expression and opinion in the digital media.
The Nation Magazine editor said it was clear that the emergence of two online publications Swaziland News and Swati Newsweek triggered the government’s ouslaught on the digital media.
He said when the government banned the Swaziland Shopping newspaper, Martin Zweli Dlamini best the odds by publishing Swaziland News online.
“The government was able to ban the Swaziland Shopping newspaper, but it has failed to control what the owner publishes online. That’s why they’ve decided to criminalize digital media in the country” said the Nation Magazine editor.
Inhlase Centre for Investigative Journalism is a non-profit media organization that acts as a guardian of public interests through investigative reporting.
Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu