State of the media in Southern Africa - 2004 • ALERT Date: February 5, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Mirror newspaper, Handsome Tlali Caswel Violation(s): Legislation The weekly English newspaper, The Mirror, has been served with a summons to appear before the courts on Tuesday February 10, 2003. The newspaper is being sued for defamation by Mr. Moeketse Vincent Malebo. The newspaper’s sub-editor, Handsome Tlali Caswel is the second defendant in the case and is the author of the article which Malebo is complaining about. Malebo claims that the contents of an article which appeared in The Mirror newspaper of May 23, 2003 under the heading: ‘Is Malebo rightful owner or the people?’, was defamatory to Malebo since it insinuated that the plaintiff had unjustifiably kept property, in the form of two tractors, belonging to a community in northern Maseru at Thuathe, Roma Valley and used them for his own personal gain. Messrs Lephoi and Namane were quoted sources, which were referred to in the perceived defamatory article. Both the sources are members of the Roma community in question. • ALERT Date: March 23, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Mololi newspaper Violation(s): Legislation The weekly Sesotho tabloid, Mololi, a publication of the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) political party, has been served with a court summons by Mr. Lehlohonolo T’sehlana Member of Parliament (MP) for Mokhotlong constituency No. 79, demanding maloti 350 000 (approximately US$54 000), for defamation. The civil litigation is in relation to an article that appeared in the Mololi edition: Volume 7, No. & of February 19, 2004, under the heading: ‘Tlhase e nyenyane e chesa hlaha’, which roughly translates to: ‘a small spark causes fire-outbreak’. The article alleged that the MP had, on two occasions, showed disrespect to the Speaker of Parliament, disregarded and acted against the constitution of the LCD and that he had no respect whatsoever for the elderly and other members of the ruling party. In his legal submissions to Mololi, the MP has categorically denied all the allegations featured in the publication which he deems defamatory. As a result he is suing the publication and its editor and author of the article in question. • ALERT Date: May 4, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Ntsau Lekhetho Violation(s): Beaten On May 4 2004, Ntsau Lekhetho, a journalist working for the “Public Eye” newspaper, was physically assaulted by Mr Lephuthela Ntsie near the United Nations (UN) House in Maseru, Lesotho. Lekhetho said he was leaving the UN Library when he was accosted by his assailant who wished to know how much he was earning “... to be writing such rubbish?” According to Lekhetho he did not have a chance to respond before Ntsie started beating him with clenched fists. The journalist has since reported the incident to the Police. • Date: May 4, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Mohahlaula newspaper Violation(s): Victory On May 4 2004, the High Court of Lesotho rescinded on a default judgement relating to a civil defamation claim against the weekly Sesotho newspaper, Mohahlaula. This effectively allows the newspaper to launch a defence against the civil defamation case in which it was cited as a So This Is Democracy? 2004 56 Media Institute of Southern Africa