Zwelethu Nicholas Dlamini, the then Eswatini Observer journalist,was harassed and subsequently forced to delete pictures by a known political bully Sibongile Ndlela-Simelane, the former Minister of Health.
Dlamini was in his line of duty, taking pictures of luxurious cars belonging to Cabinet Ministers, parked within the offices or premises of the Deputy Prime Minister(DPM).
The vehicles were purchased with public funds and therefore, what the journalist was doing was of vital public interest and in line with the role and functions of the media.
Now, information suggesting that Simelane wants to bounce back to Cabinet is slowly emerging, this means as the media,we have a reason to be worried because she will harass and assault our journalists in their line of duty.
As the media, we must never allow politicians whether within the Tinkhundla system or the Mass Democratic Movement(MDM) to undermine the challenging work that we do, we are not their boys and girls.
The fact that former Minister Ndlela-Simelane harassed the Eswatini Observer journalist in 2018, does not wash-away her barbaric conduct, she must be held accountable.
In conclusion, let me warn Sibongile Ndlela-Simelane that if she would eventually join politics again and become a Cabinet Minister, she must be ready to be held accountable,the media is now more vibrant and if it happens she harasses any journalist again, she will learn the hard way.
The media is an institution that promotes accountability of public power, among others, we won’t tolerate any ‘nonsense’ from political bullies.
The former Health Minister must write a letter and apologise to the Eswatini Editors Forum(EEF) and the Eswatini National Association of Journalists(ENAJ), Sibongile Ndlela-Simelane literally undermined us as journalists by harassing the Eswatini Observer scribe.
Former Minister of Health Sibongile Ndlela-Simelane.