Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)

(MISA/IFEX) – “The Daily News” came under sharp criticism from the government for defiling “traditional norms” and attempting to undermine the country’s values through repeated attempts at making a mockery out of the death of African leaders, “The Herald” reported on 5 June 2001. In a stinging attack, Information and Publicity Minister Jonathan Moyo said […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has banned a civic organisation’s live programme from being aired arguing that the programme did not follow the corporation’s commissioning procedures as editorial responsibility is vested in the public broadcaster, “The Herald” and “The Daily News” reported on 6 June 2001. The weekly programme, “Talk to the Nation” […]

(MISA/IFEX) – In a letter to Minister for Public Service and Information Mtonzima Dlamini, MISA-Swaziland’s Chairperson Sphiwe Nkambule and National Director Comfort Mabuza noted that they had been trying to set up an appointment to meet him personally for the last three weeks, but their attempts were not yielding any fruit. Nkambule and Mabuza would […]

(MISA/IFEX) – In March 2001, the Namibian government slapped an advertising boycott on “The Namibian” newspaper, claiming the newspaper is too critical of its policies. The decision to ban advertising was taken at a Cabinet meeting on 5 December 2000. However, in March, government departments were reminded to heed the Cabinet decision “with immediate effect”. […]

(MISA/IFEX) – President Sam Nujoma has ordered a total ban on the purchase of “The Namibian” by the Government of the Republic of Namibia. The president issued the directive hot on the heels of an earlier cabinet decision to ban government line ministries from advertising in the newspaper on grounds that it maintained an “anti-government […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The owner of Karora Printers & Publishing House, Kalera Mhango, and the editor of “The Dispatch” newspaper, Martines Namingah, effectively ended a police search when they surrendered themselves to Lingadzi police on 25 and 26 May 2001 respectively. The two were charged with “publishing false information likely to cause public fear and alarm”, […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On Wednesday 23 May 2001, “Post” newspaper deputy editor Amos Malupenga was summoned to the Central Police station in Lusaka. He was questioned over a story he wrote in the Monday 21 May edition, in which he quoted former labour minister Edith Nawakwi saying that President Chiluba was organising thugs to rape her. […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Swaziland police raided the kingdom’s only independent news magazine, the “Nation”, on Tuesday 22 May 2001 in apparent defiance of the country’s High Court. The uniformed policemen insisted that the outspoken magazine was still technically banned and said they had instructions to confiscate all copies of its June edition. Policemen reportedly confiscated over […]