(MISA/IFEX) – The suspended editor of “Times Sunday” in Swaziland, Bheki Makhubu, was arrested on the night of Sunday 26 September 1999 and appeared in the Mbabane magistrates court on the morning of Monday 27 September on a charge of criminal defamation. He was granted bail of Emalangeni 3000 (South African Rands 3000, approximately US$500) […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The suspended editor of “Times Sunday” in Swaziland, Bheki
Makhubu, was arrested on the night of Sunday 26 September 1999 and appeared
in the Mbabane magistrates court on the morning of Monday 27 September on a
charge of criminal defamation. He was granted bail of Emalangeni 3000 (South
African Rands 3000, approximately US$500) on the following conditions: that
this amount is paid by 12:00 p.m. (local time) on 27 September, that he
surrenders his travel documents and does not apply for new documents, that
he reports fortnightly to the police and that he does not publish any
further information in relation to King Mswati III’s fiancee, Liphovela
Senteni Masango.
On the week of 20 September, Makhubu was suspended by his employers in the
face of a public and government outcry against an article and photograph
published in the newspaper on 12 and 19 September respectively. The
newspaper alleged that the King’s latest fiancee, eighteen-year old Senteni
Masango, was a school “drop out”. So far the accuracy of the story has not
been challenged. The criticism being leveled against the newspaper is that
the article is disrespectful of the monarchy.
Makhubu was questioned by the police on 15 September. They asked him to
disclose the names of the reporters who wrote the story and to name their
source. He refused to disclose any of this information.
Makhubu’s status of employment is unclear at present. Some reports in the
Swazi media indicate that he was “constructively dismissed” a week ago after
he refused to accept a resignation package from his company. In a 23
September article written by Makhubu and published in a South African
newspaper, he said he had been forced to resign. Newspaper reports of 27
September indicate that he is to undergo a disciplinary hearing.
The “Times Sunday” was not published on 26 September. The previous week, the
management announced that it was undergoing a “revamp”. The general manager
of the Times of Swaziland, Pat Nxumalo, was summoned by the elders of the
Royal Residence to a meeting on 23 September. The meeting was also attended
by Swazi Minister for Public Service and Information Magwagwa Mdluli. In a
report, Nxumalo said that the elders expressed their concern about the
articles on Senteni Masango and pointed out that Swazi tradition emphasised
respect for the monarchy.
