MBABANE:Eswatini Positive News online publication has secured another contract worth R1.4million annually from Government.
This comes despite efforts by retiring Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo who tried to align himself with another online platform that was insulting pro-democracy leaders and loyalists of the Tinkhundla system that Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament(MP) Marwick Khumalo amongst others.
Nxumalo is then alleged to have made efforts to grab the ‘tender’ from Eswatini Positive News saying, it must be given to his online platforms that he operates with ex-Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF) Swaziland President Ncamiso Ngcamphalala.He alleged to have justified that, he worked hard through that platform to attack those calling for democracy.
The Government Spokesperson recently lied through his online platform, saying MP Marwick Khumalo travelled to China to plan a coup against Government and the Monarchy but, it later transpired that, Khumalo was in the country when the propaganda seeking to set him against the authorities, was published.
When questioned by this Swaziland News why he lied, the Government Spokesperson said he was contacted by Ncamiso Ngcamphalala who asked about Marwick Khumalo’s alleged China trip and he told him that, the MP was not part of those who travelled to China.
“Ngishayelwe lijaha laka-Ngcamphalala labuta kutsi Marwick uhambile yini nalaba labase China kuyohlela lokubi ngelive, ngalitjela lelijaha kutsi cha!, kodvwa ngibona selibhalile”, said the Government Spokesperson who later announced that he will no-longer respond to this publication
But this is the same ‘tender’ that was questioned by Nation Magazine editor Bheki Makhubu during the recent Breakfast Meeting with Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini at the Mountain-Inn,Mbabane.
Eswatini Positive News was established by ex-Times journalists Welcome Dlamini and Mbongeni Ndlela, Dlamini is now the Mbabane East Member of Parliament(MP).
The idea came after it transpired that Government had no vibrant platform to promote State projects and counter information published by independent online platforms.
Even though Eswatini Positive News approached the State propaganda machinery more professionally by reporting developmental stories, Alpheous Nxumalo and his online platform would literally insult those with different political opinions and his online project lost credibility, State sources close to the matter told this publication.
“It is for these reasons that, Eswatini Positive News had the contract renewed despite efforts by the Government Spokesperson to grab the project,” said a source within Government.
Nxumalo declined to comment about the matter, the Government Spokesperson is highly expected to retire and, it is alleged that he wanted to grab the project so that he could have something to eat after retirement.
Reached for comments on Friday, Eswatini Positive News editor Mbongeni Ndlela said he was not aware that,Nxumalo was interested in their project for his own online platform.
“Angati ngiyayicabuka nje”, he said when responding to editor Zweli Martin Dlamini.
But the alleged relationship between Government and Eswatini Positive News came after the founders MP Welcome Dlamini and Mbongeni Ndlela forwarded a proposal to report positively, about State projects, it was approved amid concerns that Eswatini Observer was failing to communicate the Government story.
Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo.