After the failed attempt to sabotage this Swaziland News,Tinkhundla Government officials tried to flood The Bridge online publication in an attempt to be seen as friendly to online independent publication except the one declared as a 'terrorist’ entity.
Unfortunately,independent journalism cannot be legitimized by interviews from an oppressive regime,Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo was just playing a political game that he doesn’t understand.
Luckily,he found that,the editors of The Bridge were desperate to promote their struggling online publication hence they allowed Government to use it to clean itself and appear as if the regime supports independent journalism.
But independent journalism cannot be legitimized by Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo, Cabinet Ministers or any politician,independent journalism wins the hearts of the people through well-investigated and credible stories.
After exclusively publishing the story about King Mswati’s looming marriage with Jacob Zuma’s daughter Nomcebo Zuma(21), South African journalists contacted me asking to do follow-up stories.
One of the top South African journalists who contacted me is Mzilikazi wa-Afrika,the former Sunday Times investigative journalist who now writes for the Sunday World,Mzilikazi approached me, published the story with fresh information and with a new angle,of course,quoting this publication as the online publication that first reported the story.
The problem with local journalists is that they are still in denial,they are struggling to accept the international influence of this publication,that’s why they will find themselves begging for interviews from lunatics like Alpheous Nxumalo thinking that by interviewing Government,their publications will gain credibility.
While it is part of independent journalism to interview Government to produce balanced articles,some Tinkhundla loyalists with shallow political understanding and the dynamics of the independent media,think they have the power to legitimize publications.
Even though this publication is hated by the Government but public figures,wherever they think of leaking sensitive information,the Swaziland News came to mind.
Once politicians succeed in thinking that,they are doing journalists a favor and legitimizing publications by granting interviews,that would mean the standard of journalism has declined,accountability is demanded as per the basic principles and values of public administration.
But how can interviewing a discredited Government or it’s Spokesperson give a publication credibility?.
A journalist gains credibility by publishing factual stories not to massage politicians, credibility is earned through hard work,it cannot be manufactured.
While discussing Mswati and Zuma’s story with my friend Mzilikazi wa-Afrika from the Sunday World, I even wished that eSwatini journalists can learn to engage with other journalists professionally if they want to do follow-ups stories,some journalists are struggling even after over thirty(30) years in the media industry not because they don’t have the skills but, they don’t understand collaboration is key in journalism.
Its even worse to think that a journalist who also writes and report for international media entities followed by millions across the world, could be legitimized by Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo,in fact it’s stupidity.
Mzilikazi wa-Afrika is one of the top investigative journalists in the African continent,imagine having a telephone conversation with a top African journalist,discussing a story of a King and a former President and giving each other advice on how to approach the story, only to be told by discredited a Government Spokesperson and editors of struggling online publications that,they will legitimize you.
In creative writing,there’s what we call a ‘figment of imagination’, independent journalism cannot be legitimized by discredited Tinkhundla loyalists.
Any journalist who is desperate to be legitimized by Alpheous Nxumalo has reached the deep end of his/her journalism career.
A journalist must publish stories that influence the public discourse and further influence those in power to take decisions,by providing accurate and well-investigated stories, that’s the power of journalism.
In the end, journalism is not meant to destroy but to positively shape the society and contribute even to social and economic development.
But in conclusion, let me further state that Government or anyone holding public office is not doing any favor to the media by responding, it’s part of accountability.
Very soon,Tinkhundla will be desperate to promote its undemocratic elections and the only leading online whose articles is quoted and amplified by the international media is the Swaziland News.
Government delayed the hostility against this publication during the recent elections because, the regime was desperate to appear in every platform particularly that widely followed one to promote the Tinkhundla elections.
Unfortunately,in 2028 Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo will have long retired but maybe he will have answers if the arrogance will be maintained even towards the elections because that would mean the anti-Tinkhundla elections narrative by the progressives will reach the public domain unchallenged.
It is important to understand that,some of us analyze the local politics far beyond the imaginary perspective of political novice who think they have the power to legitimize the media,independent journalism cannot be legitimized by a discredited cruel regime.
Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo.