Articles by Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
“The Post” reporter picked up by police
(MISA/IFEX) – “The Post” newspaper reporter Dickson Jere, who has been in hiding since December 1997, has finally been arrested. According to “The Post”‘s senior reporter Reuben Phiri, Jere was picked up by police for questioning on the morning of 8 April 1998. Police caught up with the journalist at Lusaka’s Evelyn Hone College of […]
Prime Minister berates journalists for “improper” coverage
(MISA/IFEX) – According to MISA, on 12 March 1998, two journalists working at the state-controlled Swazi TV were reprimanded by Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini for leaving a road construction site he had been touring before the tour was over. The Prime Minister, who is the head of government, accused Swazi TV journalists Mbuso Matsenjwa and […]
ZCTU urges workers to boycott “The Herald”
(MISA/IFEX) – On 12 March 1998, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) called for a workers’ boycott of “The Herald” to run every Thursday and Friday. The boycott has been called to protest against biased reporting and the use of a public institution as a government propaganda tool. The ZCTU has accused the paper […]
Legislative body bars journalists from tabling questions during its sessions
(MISA/IFEX) – According to MISA, on 18 March 1998, the provincial portfolio committee on public works in the Mpumalanga legislature rejected an attempt by journalists to table questions during the committee’s sessions. It followed a written question from journalists requesting details of a threatened multi-million rand damages suit against the provincial government by German aviation […]
Writer freed from detention
(MISA/IFEX) – On 25 February 1998 opposition United National Independent Party (UNIP) member and writer Frederick Mwanza was released from detention by President Chiluba. Mwanza, 67, was released together with five others when Chiluba revoked their presidential detention order. He was arrested on 14 November 1997 for suspected involvement in the failed coup of 28 […]
NGO denied media license
(MISA/IFEX) – World View Botswana, a locally based non-governmental organization, has been denied broadcasting licenses by the Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA). The Botswana government says there is no immediate need to grant licenses to community radio stations because the objectives of community broadcasting are currently being met by the state-controlled Radio Botswana. This position was […]
Concerns rise over freedom of expression implications of new telecommunications bill.
(MISA/IFEX) – Media workers and civil society representatives in Zimbabwe have called on the government to amend Zimbabwe’s draft communications bill in order to allow for an independent telecommunications and broadcasting regulator that is legally free from state, government or political party control. They would like to see the creation of a body which puts […]
Media conference campaigns for freedom of expression; looks at bill on broadcasting
(MISA/IFEX) – Media workers in Zimbabwe have called on the government to ensure that the proposed Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), to be established under Zimbabwe’s new Telecommunications Bill, is legally and actually free from state, government or party political control. They would like to see the creation of a body which puts public interest first […]