Swaziland Alert

April 13, 2005

Prime Minister calls for ‘positive’ reporting on monarch

On April 7 2005, Swazi Prime Minister Absalom Themba Dlamini, stressed the importance of positive media coverage relating to the activities of His Majesty King Mswati III. This recent call follows increasing tension within the royal spheres in the belief that the media has an agenda to dethrone the king.

The April 7 meeting with editors and media owners from all media houses in Swaziland was ostensibly an opportunity for the media and Premier’s office to share ideas on issues and virtues for balanced and fair media reporting.

Swazi Prime Minister, Mr. Absalom Themba Dlamini, highlighted to the editors and media owners the need for government and the media to establish good working relations. In his address, the premier assured the media that it was not in the aim of government to muzzle the press.

“We believe that the media is not a ‘blood hound’ but a ‘watchdog’ for the government and the public in the interest of good governance and sustainable development”, he said.

Also present during the meeting were the Minister of Public Service and Information (MOPSI), Mr Thembi Msibi, the Minister of Tourism and Communication, Ms Thandi Shongwe, Principal Secretary MOPSI, Mr Cyril Kunene, PS for Tourism and Communication, Mr Mduduzi Magongo, the Director of Swaziland Broadcasting Service and Information, Mr Stan Motsa, the National Director of MISA Swaziland Mr Comfort Mabuza.

Notably absent was the owner of a private “Channel Swazi” television station, Mr Qhawe Mamba.

BACKGROUND

King Mswati III is Africa’s last absolute monarch. Earlier in 2004 he abandoned the purchase of a US$42 million executive jet, after country-wide protest. He however went ahead in April 2004 with a US$560 000 birthday party for approximately 10 000 guests to celebrate his 36th birthday. In earlier 2005 he spent approximately US$1.5 million on the purchase of vehicles: a DaimlerChrysler Maybach 62 costing approximately US$653 000 and a Mercedes Benz S600 V12 approximated at US$897 000.

The King’s extravagance has made international headlines, especially since approximately 550 000 people among Swaziland’s 1.2 million population are HIV-positive and doomed to die from AIDS-related illnesses. Two-thirds of his subjects live below the internationally defined income poverty line and are being fed by the World Food Programme and other charities following a devastating drought in 2003 that wrecked the Swazi harvest