Articles by Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
Government interdicts civil servant for writing article exposing poor safety standards at airport
(MISA/IFEX) – A Malawian civil servant has been interdicted for writing an article exposing poor safety standards at Malawi’s international airports. MacDonald Mukorongo, a senior assistant air traffic controller, was interdicted on 11 September 1997 after his article outlining the obsolete civil aviation equipment in Malawi and its dangers to travellers was published in “The […]
Army officers harass journalists, confiscate camera
(MISA/IFEX) – On 8 September 1997, four journalists with the privately owned newspaper “The Post” were harassed and had their camera seized by Zambia Air Force (ZAF) personnel at Lusaka City Airport, reports the Zambia Independent Media Association (ZAMA/MISA-Zambia). The journalists, Dickson Jere, Reuben Phiri, George Chilembo and Amos Malupenga, along with other journalists from […]
Minister bans radio station from relaying live BBC broadcasts
(MISA/IFEX) – Zambian Information and Broadcasting Services Minister David Mpamba has banned the privately owned FM Radio Phoenix from relaying live British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) programmes, reports the Zambia Independent Media Association (ZIMA/MISA-Zambia). Mpamba announced the ban on 2 September 1997, claiming that relaying live BBC programmes in Lusaka and the northern town of Kabwe […]
Ban against media from covering parliamentary debates lifted
(MISA/IFEX) – The Lesotho Speaker of parliament has lifted an order banning the media from covering parliamentary debates, reports the Media Institute of Lesotho (MILES). Speaker Dr. Teboho Kolane lifted the ban on 15 September 1997. Although he did not give reasons for lifting the ban, MILES believes Kolane’s decision was in response to mounting […]
Recommendations on the development of the Namibian film and video industry
(MISA/IFEX) – Namibian film producers have released recommendations and proposals to the Namibian Draft Film law which the government circulated this May. The recommendations were drawn up during a seminar held in Namibia from 28-30 July 1997. The recommendations and proposals were finalised on 10 September. The seminar was funded and facilitated by the Media […]
Censors ban film
A committee of censors in South Africa has banned, under Section 47 of the Publications Act, 1974, public viewing of the American movie “Kids”, on the grounds that it is “immoral and undesirable.” On 18 September 1996, South Africa’s Director of Publications, Dr. Braam Coetzee, said that the ban had been in effect since 6 […]
Community radio reports unfair treatment by licensing authority
A community-based radio station, Katutura Community Radio (KCR), which has been on air for more than a year, has been told by the licensing authority it must move frequencies or else close down after a new commercial station targeting KCR’s township audience was allocated a frequency just 0.3 megahertz (MHz) away from the community broadcaster. […]
Newspaper group says monarchy wants it closed
Swaziland’s only independent newspaper group said the ruling monarchy was planning ways of forcing it to close down. In a “The Times of Swaziland” editorial of 7 August 1996, the newspaper said that there were “strong indications that pressure is being put on the authorities to close down The Times of Swaziland group of newspapers….” […]