By Zweli Martin Dlamini

While in China,I met high profile but upon return I must humble myself and work on stories affecting the people even in the rural areas because if I could come back with the attitude of who I was dining with in that country, then I would regard myself as too powerful to speak to ordinary citizens.

But it’s the ordinary citizens who supported my journalism career by providing information even when they were threatened with arrests for communicating with a ‘terrorist’, in the process of receiving support from the masses, I found myself enjoying coffee with high profile people around the world.

Alpheous Nxumalo, the fallen former Government Spokesperson and “out on bail” alleged serial rapist once claimed responding to me as the editor of this Swaziland News would be like legitimizing me, he failed to understand that, the power of journalism vests with the people not rapists or officials of the corrupt and oppressive Tinkhundla regime.

It’s the people who elevate a journalist to be become powerful and even if Government can try to fight that particular journalist, he won’t fall if the citizens continue to supply him with stories, journalism is about reporting issues of public interest and holding those in power accountable.

No signature of an alleged rapist is needed in the process of climbing the journalism ladder, we have captured journalists in eSwatini who were communicating with Alpheous Nxumalo but, they are not successful in journalism, they are oppressed and hopeless.

Nxumalo fell from power while trying to destroy this Swaziland News and I warned him that he won’t succeed, as the editor of this publication, I fully understand the centre of power, any journalist who is favored by the masses will always produce quality news. 

The problem with Alpheous Nxumalo was that, he thought Government has the power to legitimize the independent media, he even tried to write for an online platform claiming he is legitimizing it, blasting the Swaziland News in the process.

How can a superpower Government buys an air-ticket, book me in the most expensive Hotel in Beijing and arrange meetings with high profile people including Ambassadors and then, an alleged rapist emerges, claiming he has the power to legitimize me?.

I don’t remember even a single day begging a rapist for legitimacy, I’ve been writing news for over twenty(20) years and now, well versed how the game of power in journalism is played.

Not even captured journalists will ever succeed in destroying this publication particularly, those who are fast reaching the age of sixty(60) who feel they are still relevant yet in the next five(5) years their minds will be exhausted and they will be sleeping and snoring while holding their notebooks during press conferences.

Climbing the ladder is dangerous if you will then become power drunk, people are poor and struggling in this country and, we should be collectively working towards democratizing this Kingdom for a better life for all.

But I am happy to have grew-up under a grandfather who taught me respect and humbleness, I don’t wish to be like Alpheous Nxumalo who was promoting oppression against the people while fighting the independent media merely for reporting about issues affecting the masses.

Any person who undermines the will of the people just because he is powerful and living a good life will learn the hard way, people were created in God’s image and, you must never think you are better than the people even if you can climb the success ladder because nature will humble you.

As Alpheous Nxumalo reads this article while sitting at home, he must remember my previous articles where I was warning him, the power to elevate a journalist vests with the people not corrupt alleged serial rapists. 

Noma ungesutsa kwani uphakame uye letulu, ungabedzeleli bantfu ngoba bamphofu, bahluphekile wena udla kahle.

Bantfu bayahlonishwa and you must always remember that, you are accountable to the people, the problem in this country is deliberate promotion of poverty and oppression by people who want to take advantage of those of vulnerable.

But in conclusion, perhaps let me once again warn anyone in Government or the captured media who might think they have the power to legitimize me, I am not begging any legitimacy from a corrupt regime.

It’s the people who supply me with sensitive stories, noma ngabe usesi-khundleni lesisetulu ku-Hulumende nyalo, ungangetfuka wente konkhe uze ugicike phansi, ekugcineni utawulandzela Alpheous Nxumalo and leave me here writing stories and serving the people.