By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:Nontsetselelo Nkambule, a Swaziland News freelance journalist is highly expected to resign after being appointed by Public Works Minister Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe as a member of the Road Safety Council.

The editor congratulated Nkambule on her appointment but maintained that, she cannot continue working as a journalist while holding a very senior political position as that amounts to a “conflict of interest” and will undermine journalism ethics.

But the editor gave Nkambule an option to continue writing “opinion articles” and educate the public about road safety if the Council allows her to write for the publication as a Guest Writer.

“Now she must get permission from the Council before writing because she is a member of the Road Safety Council, ethically she cannot be journalist while holding a powerful position within the Ministry of Public Works or Government. I engaged her and she understood the conflict of interest,” said the editor.

The editor said Nkambule will no longer be included in an “upcoming China trip he is organizing for Swaziland News journalists” because that might compromise her new Government position.

“She was supposed to travel to China in a trip I am organizing for Swaziland News journalists but based on her new appointment, she cannot be part of the trip. I will formally inform the Embassy regarding the new developments as emaSwati are banned from traveling to China, they told me she can only be allowed to travel if I recommend her as a Swaziland News journalist,” said the editor.