When I established a newspaper in 2015, I remember being invited by the Limkokwing University Management and was told, the meeting part of creating warm relations with the media.
In fact before that,there was another meeting in 2012 where the Management led by the then Limkokwing Director Zachariah Mtsetfwa presented gifts to journalists from various media houses, those gifts came while students were protesting outside the institution and the Management was explaining the reasons behind the protest.
Recently, Lecturers in that University protested and,despite the activities of public interest within that institution of higher learning including court cases involving gross violations of labour laws, the captured media did not cover those events.
Lawyer Musa Sibandze who represents the Times is also representing Limkokwing University and in this country, we are facing a serious problem, the corporate sector has captured the media and the judiciary while violating workers rights with impunity.
Whenever Limkokwing loses a case at the Industrial Court, Times of eSwatini journalist Mbongseni Ndzimandze would twist it to favour the institution of higher learning, lawyer Musa Sibandze and his media syndicate is beginning to be a serious problem in the media.
Well, I might not have a problem with what other journalists choose to publish and not to publish but, the problem arise when they attempt to fight the independent media for publishing articles about those who pay or captured them.
Limkokwing Director Princess Tfobile is violating workers rights in that institution and as the media, we shouldn’t be seen assisting her to suppress high qualified citizens and treat them like slaves in her own farm.
It is clear that, Princess Tfobile is doing all this because she knows, most Judges will rule in her favour and the media will protect her and the institution.
It is clear that, in this country we have a syndicate of mafias even within the judiciary, we can’t have Limkokwing, an institution that violates workers rights with impunity evading accountability by capturing the media.
Well, I have read many court documents where the union representating Limkokwing Lecturers successfully challenged the institution on workers rights violations and came to the conclusion that,the institution lacks good governance but the crisis is covered and sabotaged by the media so it cannot reach the public domain.
Princess Tfobile lacks leadership skills,she treats highly qualified Lecturers like useless individuals and this,I would suggest, undermines the quality of education in that institution.
As for the captured journalists who protect Limkokwing University, they must be ashamed of themselves, lawyer Musa Sibandze is not the editor in this country but seemingly, journalists take orders from him when it comes to articles involving his clients.
But then it seems the Limkokwing media capture started long before the appointment of lawyer Musa Sibandze as the attorney for that institution of higher learning.
The media and the judiciary must protect workers rights, we risk promoting a culture of impunity if corporate entities like Limkokwing will violate workers rights knowing that, nothing will happen to them.
Limkokwing is an institution that, functions on behalf of students, receive scholarships from the State and therefore its governing policies are of vital public interest.
Lecturers protesting.