On August 31 2005, Tshepo Molwane, a sports reporter from a daily Mmegi was assaulted by Thato Siska, a striker at a local football club called Notwane. Molwane told MISA Botswana that he had gone to a shopping mall with his colleague when Siska spotted him and called out to him. Siska then asked Molwane to tell him who wrote the article that appeared on August 18, 2005, headlined ‘Heads to roll at Toronto’. He then commanded Molwane not to write what he termed “***…t” about him cautioning that he would get physical one day. He told Molwane to only write positive stories about him. Siska extended his hand to Molwane as if to say goodbye and then punched him. He pushed him to the ground and continued hitting him until security guards came to his rescue. MISA Botswana visited Molwane after he reported the matter to the police and was later treated at the hospital. Molwane who appeared physically shaken by the ordeal sustained bruises on his back and he was leaping due to a swollen leg. On August 18, 2005 Molwane wrote a story in which he indicated that Siska’s team would go into the game without him and goalkeeper Kagiso Tshelametsi due to indiscipline on the part of the duo. · ALERT Date: August 5, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Charles Chirinda Violation: Expelled A freelance writer and photojournalist from Maun Charles Chirinda who was ordered to leave the country after his ‘extension of permits’ were rejected by the Immigration Office in Maun, has been denied entry into Botswana. Chirinda a Zimbabwean national who was also a commentator for a local entertainment programme on Botswana Television was on August 5,2005, denied entry by senior immigration officials at Ramakgwebana border post. Chirinda told MISA Botswana from Zimbabwe that immigration officials told him that they were under orders to deny entry until he had applied to the Chief Immigration Officer in Gaborone for re-entry. Once his re-entry was approved, officials said the immigration office would phone or write back Chirinda while he was still in Zimbabwe. When contacted for comment, Chief Immigration Officer Roy Sekgororwane told MISA Botswana that he would not discuss Chirinda’s case as he (Chirinda) was in the know about him being ordered out of the country. MISA Botswana has sought clarity from the Immigration Office to establish if Chirinda is now a prohibited immigrant by denying him entry into the country to visit his family. It has also called for transparency on reasons for him being denied work permits as such an action was meant to suppress freedom of the media and freedom of expression following Ngami Times Editor Rodrick Mukumbira who was ordered out of the country on July 27, 2005. In a telephone interview with Chirinda, he said he had applied for a work permit in 2004 when he got a job with a Consultancy company in Maun where he was employed as a photojournalist. His application was rejected twice and that was when he appealed to the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs who too turned down the appeal this year and Chirinda was given seven days to leave the country. Chirinda said he has lived in Botswana for over eight years and has a child with a Motswana woman. He said the separation from his child has immensely affected him emotionally. · ALERT Date: July 27, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Rodrick Mukumbira Violation: Expelled On July 27 2005, the Botswana government deported Zimbabwean journalist and Ngami Times So This Is Democracy? 2005 -47- Media Institute of Southern Africa