By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. In journalism, it’s not the journalist or the writer who becomes popular or credible but the facts and once that particular journalist betrays public trust, he/she loses credibility.
Journalism is a powerful profession but once you start believing that as a journalist you own the people and that, they will believe everything you say or write even if it’s clear that you misleading them, then you must know your conscience has left you.
As a journalist, you must at all times, fear the people and further be grateful for the power of influence they have bestowed upon you, power must be exercised responsibly and, in the public interest.
Indeed, it’s the people who make journalists powerful, people risk their lives and careers when providing information to journalists as a contribution to a just society.
It is therefore and I will emphasize, a betrayal of the highest order if we(journalists) can prioritize money and side with powerful and politically connected corrupt thieves while emaSwati languish in pain without medication in the various public hospitals.
SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff is a prime suspect in the widely reported drugs shortage scandal and at this juncture, no State journalist can clean this mess, he must have his day in court.
Any journalist attempting to clean Ashraff saying “drugs where delivered must show us the drugs”, medication is traceable, documented and, the Ministry of Health ought to have known as to who consumed each and every drug.
Ashraff must know that, there are journalists in this country who are no longer taken seriously, even the ruling regime does not take them seriously because those in power are fully aware; “these are our puppets”.
The very same Times of Eswatini journalists who normally call for the arrest of those with different political views are defending a multibillion alleged thief while people die in public hospitals and,in the process, these State controlled journalists claim to love the country.
Any person who loves this country will demand justice for the vulnerable emaSwati painfully languishing in the public hospitals.
Kareem Ashraff’s money is always ready to bribe journalists, Judges, police or anyone, it’s not like there was no attempt to bribe some of us to defend Ashraff him but we don’t have another country, Ashraff must be thrown behind bars.
It’s a pity that those who claim to love this country are the very same people trying to protect corrupt thieves even on a highly sensitive issue like the health crisis.
People are dying in public hospitals and anyone claiming to love this country or King Mswati must be seen demanding justice for the vulnerable and poor emaSwati.
The problem in this country is that, we have alleged thieves even in the media who always claim to love this country but, they are selling it to foreigners, undermining the Sovereignty of this Kingdom.
As the media we don’t own the people but we are here to serve them and provide accurate information as per the basic principles of journalism.
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