in the issue as the reported border blockade was targeted at Swaziland fell on deaf ears. The officers forcefully grabbed Magagula’s camera and went on to delete all the images from it before they handed it back to him. • ALERT Date: October 30, 2008 Person/institutions: Media Violation/issue: Banned On October 29, Swazi journalists were kicked out of a meeting in which the newly elected and appointed Members of Parliament discussed their pay. The journalists had been allowed to cover the earlier discussions, but when the legislators began to discuss their pay, the media was shown the door. Clerk at Table, Ndvuna Dlamini, who was chairing the proceedings, told the journalists that they would not be allowed to cover the part in which the parliamentarians would be discussing their salaries. The journalists were then asked to leave the meeting. • ALERT Date: November 18, 2008 Person/institutions: Media Violation/issue: Threatened Attorney General Majahenkhaba Dlamini on November 17 warned that journalists reporting critically on the government would be viewed as supporting “terrorists” and arrested. “If you appear to be supporting terrorists in your reporting, woe unto you,” Dlamini told journalists. This comes in the wake of growing tension in Swaziland following government’s moves to deal strongly with dissent. The government has outlawed political activities and popular forms of free expression, such as marches and demonstrations. • ALERT Date: November 19, 2008 Person/institutions: Phesheya Sibiya Violation/issue: Harassed Phesheya Sibiya, a cameraperson employed by the privately owned Channel Swazi television station, was harassed and had his camera confiscated by a traditional group performing sacred rituals for King Mswati III. The group, known as Water Party or ‘Bemanti’, who were on their way back from the sea where they had gone to fetch sea water for the King’s power strengthening rituals, pounced on Sibiya, grabbed his camera and held him hostage for three hours for allegedly recording a clip of their cultural activities. The TV station was ordered to apologise to the traditionalists before the camera was returned. • ALERT Date: December 3, 2008 Person/institutions: MISA Swaziland Violation/issue: Threatened On December 3, plainclothes police stormed a MISA training workshop and threatened to disrupt it if they were not allowed to monitor it. The two-day workshop on media management was held in Matsapha, outside Manzini. MISA Swaziland’s Information Officer Michael Motsa explained to the police that the workshop was open only to media personnel, including editors and marketing managers. In a statement, MISA Swaziland National Director Comfort Mabuza expressed shock at the police action to threaten a professional training workshop. He said this underscored the government’s frustration at the increasing number of dissenting voices, such that they now regard lobby groups like MISA as threats to state security. So This Is Democracy? 2008 -98- Media Institute of Southern Africa