Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)

(MISA/IFEX) – On 3 July 2001, three journalists, cameraman Chris Mazivanghanga of the Associated Press agency, photographer Tsvangirai Mukwazhi of “The Daily News”, and reporter Cornelius Nduna of “The Sunday Standard”, were arrested for allegedly interfering with police investigations while covering an ongoing strike against economic mismanagement and a rise in fuel prices, in Harare. […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 3 July 2001, “The Herald” reported that the National Development Association (NDA) has threatened to sue the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) for terminating its live television programme Talk to the Nation. The newspaper reports that NDA’s lawyers, Dube Manikai & Hwacha, wrote a letter to ZBC stating that the programme’s cancellation was […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On Thursday 28 June 2001, Malawi Ombudsman Enock Chibwana awarded “Daily Times” acting chief reporter Mabvuto Banda and the late “Malawi News” editor Horace Somanje 30,000 Malawi Kwacha (approx. US$395) each for what he described as unlawful detention. Banda and Somanje, for whom the award has come too late following his death on […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The following is a joint appeal signed by eighteen IFEX members, highlighting recent violations of press freedom and freedom of expression in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region: 29 June 2001 President Sam Nujoma President of the Republic of Namibia Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Your Excellency RE: · […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On Friday 22 June 2001, His Majesty King Mswati III issued Decree no 2 of 2001, effectively declaring a state of emergency in Swaziland. The decree was published in an extraordinary government gazette on the evening of Saturday 23 June. Article 13 of the Decree reads: “Proscription: Where a Magazine, book, newspaper or […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On Monday 18 June 2001, four journalists from “The Zimbabwe Mirror” were beaten up and briefly detained by riot police officers while covering protests against fuel hikes in Mabvuku, a high density suburb of Harare. According to a 22 June report in “The Zimbabwe Mirror”, the four reporters, c, were covering riots sparked […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The Department of Information and Publicity turned down an application by three British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), reporters to be accredited to cover the solar eclipse, citing failure to comply with the new accreditation regulations, which require journalists to give a month’s notice in order for the department to process their requests. Journalists Simon […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On Monday 18 June 2001, about forty members of the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) braved the drizzle in Cape Town to protest subpoenas issued against media personnel. The protest was prompted by subpoenas issued for “Cape Times” photographer Benny Gool and “Die Burger” editor Arie Roussouw, to be witnesses in the […]