ANALYSIS OF COVID-19 REGULATIONS VIS-À-VIS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN THE SADC REGION Harassment and intimidation of journalists and assaults officials who expose the government’s failures in handling the pandemic. The attacks have also been from supports of the ruling party who are against political campaigns during the subsistence of pandemic. 38In Malawi, a journalist Macmillan Mozeyo of Ufulu FM was assault by four unknown people in Chikwawa over a Covid-19 story that he had authored. In the story, Mozeyo quoted a Covid-19 patient who lamented the manner in which he was treated.39 In Botswana, the Emergency Powers Act that was passed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic to enable the president to rule by decree. The Act also proscribes journalists should report on Covid-19 based on information that is furnished by the director of health services or the World Health Organisation only. Contravening this law attracts a fine of $10,000 or a five- year jail term.36In this way, criticising the government could be viewed as a criminal offence. There are many aspects of the pandemic that deserve public scrutiny and may not necessarily fall within the purview of the director of health services or the World Health Organisation. For example, the use of public funds that are meant for the government’s response to the pandemic. The government has places itself above public scrutiny yet it is accountable to the public. The heavy punishment is too steep and prohibitive and might scare away those that might information that is the in the public interest but not based on the recommended sources. In South Africa, during the commencement of the lockdown, several journalists were assaulted, harassed and threatened by members of the by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the South African Police Services (SAPS).40Examples include a News24 journalist that was shot at in Yeoville, Johannesburg and the confiscation of a Weekend Argus photographer had her cellphone in Capricorn Park, Cape Town. In May, a community journalist Paul Nthoba, was forced to flee his home town in South Africa to Lesotho out of fear for his life after he was brutalized by police in Ficksburg, Free State after he filmed the police overzealous enforcement of the Covid-19 lockdown. Recently, there was also the despicable experience of News24 journalist, Jenni Evans who suffered injury after she had rocks thrown at her car and got her cell phone stolen while on duty covering protests In Lesotho, the regulations state that media houses or journalists will be arrested and their media houses might be shut down for sharing ‘misleading information’. 37 In Zambia, the clampdown on the media has been witnessed by Radio stations that host opposition party 36 Civicus Monitor: ‘Authorities Accused of Abusing Covid-19 Restrictions to Stifle Expression despite Improved Ranking’ 30 June 2020 https://monitor.civicus.org/updates/2020/06/30/authorities-accused-abusing-covid-19-restrictions-stifle-expressiondespite-improved-ranking/ (accessed 20 July 2020). 37 ‘Alert: Lockdown order by Government of Lesotho’ (2020) https://ls.usembassy.gov/alert-lockdown-order-by-government-of- lesotho/ (accessed 27 July 2020). 38 S Sishuwa ‘In Zambia, Covid-19 has claimed democracy, not human life 15 Jun 2020 https://mg.co.za/africa/2020-06-15-in- zambiacovid-19-has-claimed-democracy-not-human-life/ accessed 20 July 2020). 39 ‘UFULU FM Journalist Assaulted over Covid-19 Reporting’ 23 Apr 2020 https://malawi.misa.org/2020/04/23/journalist- macmillan-mozeyo-assaulted-by-unidentified-people/ (accessed 20 July 2020). 40 SANEF: ‘SANEF concerned about attacks by security forces during day one of the Covid-19 Lockdown’ 28 March 2020 https://sanef. org.za/sanef-concerned-about-attacks-by-security-forces-during-day-one-of-the-covid-19-lockdown/ (accessed 20 July 2020). https://zimbabwe.misa.org 13