As I consistently engage with Mandla Hlatswako, the founding member of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO), I’m beginning to learn some leadership qualities in the Letfu Sonkhe Chairman.
Unlike some opportunists and pro-Tinkhundla activists within the Mass Democratic Movement(MDM) who always develop a hostile attitude towards the media when negative articles are published against them, Mandla Hlatswako is always calm and ready to engage to set the record straight.
It is such leadership that we need as a country,and I have been warning some leaders that the media should be allowed to be independent, as journalists, that’s our major interest in supporting democracy.
But alas,some opportunists within the Mass Democratic Movement(MDM) always applaud the media when it reports positively about their political interests.
Mandla Hlatswako always reminds me of human rights lawyer Thulani Rudolf Maseko, who will always call and engage when the media criticized the MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF) and promised to address the issues.
But we can’t blame some of the opportunists who are pro-Tinkhundla, they always think the media must always be on their side, the media is the referee in a match of democracy.
I have said it before and I’m repeating it now, those who demonstrate dictatorship tendencies while claiming to be fighting for democracy, will never rule this country. We must discourage dictatorship both in the conservatives and progressive movement, we know the type of democracy that we want.
Any political leader who attack the media either directly or indirectly and does not demonstrate willingness to engage on national issues, is a dictator who must be isolated.
Otherwise as journalists, we might find ourselves running to exile again in less than five(5)years after attaining democracy.
Mandla Hlatswako.