Zweli Jele,the senior lawyer at Robison Bertram lawfirm had, on numerous occasions, demonstrated the highest level of professionalism everytime this Swaziland News publishes investigative articles about his clients and this,is highly commendable.
Jele is representing SwaziPharm Kareem Ashraff, Chief Procurement Officer Sincendile Dlamini and other high profile clients.
In the event he reads the news and identity issues involving his clients that require clarification,he immediately contacts the editor with respect and clarify,no threats,no intimidation and no attempts to influence this journalist.
Even on Wednesday, the senior lawyer sent a message to this journalist after we published a story about the ongoing health crisis’ investigation, he was clarifying certain issues about his clients Sincedile Dlamini and Fortunate Bhembe to avoid inaccuracies.
It is such professional conduct that made some of us to respect some lawyers, allow me to do my job as a journalist while you continue with your mandate of representing your clients.
Lawyer Zweli Jele, despite being a highly regarded lawyer, is known for respecting other lawyers even young lawyers, he will ‘defeat’ you in court with respect, personally, I’ve learned a lot from this lawyer.
In my line of duty as a journalist, I first met him in court back in 2010 while working for one of the local newspapers, he was representing Advocate Mduduzi Mabila who had ran to court to stop our story, the matter was before Judge Thomas Masuku.
But the context of this article is about prominent lawyer Musa Sibandze who,I would suggest, must adopt a culture of respect for journalists and/or media practitioners.
I am a freelance writer for the Mail&Guardian and other international newspapers and I’ve learned that, lawyers are important stakeholders for the media, we sometimes seek legal advise to avoid publishing defamatory articles.
It is very unfortunate to see a lawyer acting with ulterior motives to influence the media.
Lawyers are not most respectable professionals in a society and they must, at all times, conduct themselves or act in a manner that does not undermine their integrity.
Lawyer Musa Sibandze once acted unprofessionally when we established this Swaziland News, as a lawyer representing the Times,he was all over social media, commenting in our stories trying to promote his client while undermining this publication.
I don’t want to believe he was paid to disregard his professional ethics and be a mere Public Relations Officer(PRO) for our competitors on social media, he was just stooping so low, in fact, he was just trying to control an emerging publication that was giving serious competition to his clients, the Times.
Musa Sibandze is a very brilliant lawyer but unfortunately, he needs such corrective measures so that, he know where to draw the line.
A lawyer, as an officer of the court, perhaps can professionally ‘bound’ with a client but without fighting competition battles outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
Sibandze’s last comment before we removed him from this publication online platforms, was when he undermined Judge Abande Dlamini, this was after we interviewed the Judge and one Sithembiso Mngometulu amid a conflict between the two(2).
Unfortunately, when we interviewed Sithembiso Mngometulu,he uttered insults against the Honorable Judge and we indicated in our article that, part of Mngometulu’s allegations against the Judge cannot be repeated or published due to their alleged defamatory nature, this is an ethical standard practice in the media.
Lawyer Sibandze who appeared to have some unresolved issues with the Honorable Judge, commented saying he must published everything Mngometulu said against the Judge he said, he further uttered statements that grossly undermined this publication.
This is a lawyer who represents a giant newspaper, the Times and he knows exactly that outright insults against individuals, not to mention a Judge cannot be published in the media but he was just being sarcastic.
We don’t have personal issues with Industrial Court Judge Abande Dlamini, we were just reporting and the Honorable Judge respected us by providing his side of the story even though Judges hardly do that.
Unfortunately, we later learned that, lawyer Musa Sibandze is now an alleged judicial ‘mafia’, with some Judges in his pocket, he must never interfere with the independence of the media, this is not the Times.
The Swaziland News is a member of the Press Council of South Africa, a media regulatory body headed by a Judge.
We are guided by a regulatory framework because, in as much as we are expected to perform our constitutional mandate to inform, we must strike the balance between public interest and individual’s right to human dignity.
I am struggling understand what lawyer Musa Sibandze was seeking to achieve by persuading us to publish Sithembiso Mngometulu’s insults against Judge Abande Dlamini.
Personally, I sometimes speak to some Judges of both the High Court and Industrial Court who are regular readers of this publication and I am aware of Musa Sibandze’s alleged ‘mafia’ dealings there, he must sort his issues with the Judges and not to interfere with the independence of the media.
In conclusion and in light of the aforementioned, perhaps let me urge lawyer Musa Sibandze to learn from his learned friend Zweli Jele how to respect not just journalists but other people.
To some of us, lawyers are not untouchable, we respect those who respect us and we will always strive to correct those who have adopted bullying tendencies.
The media is not a playground to push personal agendas but an institution whose constitutional mandate is to inform while holding those in power accountable.
In the process and through it’s conduct, the media must maintain public trust and confidence.
Lawyer Zweli Jele.