Africa-Press – Eswatini. Percy Simelane, the King’s Spokesperson says what makes his job more easier is the fact that, he serves a King who fully understands that, all State and independent journalists are a conduit to the public that the State serves and therefore, must receive timely responses when sending questionnaires.
Responding when asked how he “has been managing to equally work with both the independent and State controlled media”, Simelane said as a former journalist, he also understands that, journalists must receive timely responses so that they can ‘beat’ deadlines.
But the King’s Spokesperson said, what makes his job more easier is the fact that, the King fully understands the role of journalists as the conduit to the public that the State serves.
“To me every journalist is a conduit to the puplics the State serves. The position I am in is therefore not a job but a national responsibility. So, in respect of the public the system serves, I have to respond promptly to all questions posed by reporters irrespective of their nationality and geographical location. In respect of reportets’ responsibilities to society, I always try to respond to, unless otherwise, within 10 minutes of receipt of reporters’ questions so that they can beat the deadlines I so well know because I was a journalists for 20 years. So with me there is no special treatment for local journalists at the expense of others. I focus on the questions posed and not on the geographical location or their origin,” said the King’s Spokesperson.
On another note, the King’s Spokesperson said “he serves a master who fully understands” the role of journalists and who wants each and every decision to be accurately explained adding that, unexplained issues irks the public.
“On the issue of freedom of the press in Eswatini, I am happy that no reporter has perished in the line of duty in Eswatini since journalism started in 1300. Also, it is soothing to observe that, of the 82 reporters killed in the line of duty globally since 2022, none of them peridhed in Eswatini. I serve a master who does not flinch when criticized but learns from everything said about him without holding a grudge. This makes my job less difficult when dealing with both private and none private media houses. The media is at the axis of the socio-economic evolution of Eswatini, and perhaps globally as the fourth estate with the power to influence decision. They, therefore cannot be ignored by any normal thinking person, let alone by someone representing the highest political institution in the land such as myself. I have an unavoidable duty to respond clearly and convincingly because anything remaining unexplained by leadership irks the public,” he said.
