**Updates IFEX alerts dated 10 April,14 March and 24 January 1996** Speaking to MISA on 6 August, Matsa’ba said the commission’s decision was “worrying….I was shocked at the judgement. I thought as a journalist, I was doing my job.” Matsa’ba said the commission has also “warned me not to make any mistake in the six […]
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 10 April,14 March and 24 January 1996**
Speaking to MISA on 6 August, Matsa’ba said the commission’s
decision was “worrying….I was shocked at the judgement. I
thought as a journalist, I was doing my job.” Matsa’ba said the
commission has also “warned me not to make any mistake in the six months or I will be dismissed. But the Commission did not specify the mistakes I should not commit….[T]his warning has affected me because I am not sure what they were up to.”
She added that she believed “authorities will be closely monitoring anything I do for them to find mistakes and dismiss me.” The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ms Mpine Tente, confirmed the report, and said that the demotion took effect immediately.
Background Information
On 27 November 1995, Matsa’ba aired tapes which contained
statements critical of the government by opposition leader
Senator Vincent Malebo. In the statements, made on 17 November at
a press conference in the capital Maseru, Malebo disclosed that
increased salaries for ministers, senators and members of
parliament, which authorities had ordered to be stopped, were
still being paid out. Lesotho authorities, however, did not
dispute allegations made by the opposition which Matsa’ba had put on air.
Since January 1996, Matsa’ba had been appearing before a
disciplinary committee which acted under the 1970 Public Service Order Regulations. Matsa’ba first appeared before the internal disciplinary committee on 4 January, but authorities postponed the hearing to 6 March. However, on 6 March, Information and Broadcasting Deputy Principal Secretary Khothatso Ralitsie and Lesotho Television Chief Controller Liteboho Tsola testified against Matsa’ba, saying that an instruction had been issued by former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Lira Motete forbidding journalists from broadcasting Malebo’s statement. On 19 March, the disciplinary committee postponed indefinitely Matsa’ba’s case (see IFEX alerts).
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
expressing concern that such a judgement will have a chilling
effect on other journalists working for Radio Lesotho
Appeals To:
Ntsu Mokhehle
Prime Minister & Minister of Public Service
Prime Minister’s Office
Government Complex
PO Box 391
Maseru 100
Lesotho
Tel: +266 312 994 or 326328
Pakane Khala
Minister of Information and Broadcasting
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
P.O. Box 36
Maseru, Lesotho
tel: +266 323 561 or 325 317 or 316 244
fax: +266 310 001
Mpine Tente
Principal Secretary
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
PO Box 36
Maseru 100
Lesotho
Fax: +266 310 003
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
