6ZD]LODQG land, betrayed the cosy relationship that already exists among media managers, government and business. He declared: “I agree with the notion that media freedom is fragile. In fact, I can almost say that it is a fallacy and can hardly be achieved.” Mbingo questioned the constitutional rights of the “political activists” to press freedom. He blasted “a sector of people with their own agendas,” questioning their right to press freedom. This was indicative of the much bigger twin problem of censorship and selfcensorship. In February, the Observer Group of Newspapers, owned by the Tibiyo Taka Ngwane, a royal conglomerate, experienced a major shake-up to its management team. Swazi Observer editor-inchief, Musa Ndlangamandla was fired. His sin, amongst others, was that in his column Asikhulume he featured leaders of the proscribed People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) and other civil society representatives calling for political change. Later, mid-year, without consulting the Swazi Observer Board, newly appointed managing director Alpheous Nxumalo also suspended editor of the daily, Thulani Thwala and editor of the weekly, Alec Lushaba. Both Thwala and Lushaba remain in limbo, pending investigation into their failure to follow the publication’s ‘original’ mandate. When Board members sought answers, the managing director made it clear that he is not answerable to them. Nearly a year later, the Swazi Observer managing director has not finalised the investigation. The Swaziland Editors’ 6R7KLVLV'HPRFUDF\" Forum (SEF) has done nothing about it. In fact, the MD is on record saying progressive voices or NGOs, whom he suspects of pushing an agenda for political change, will not be entertained by his newspaper, as long as he is in charge. Newsrooms in the print media are no longer a safe haven for journalists following their infiltration by spies. In August 2012, police interrogated one of the reporters at one of the print media houses after common and casual newsroom talk with his colleagues. According to a complaint lodged by the Swaziland Diaspora Platform (SDP) with the MISA Swaziland chapter, a journalist who was spying reported him to the police and on others in the newsroom. Journalists have begun to tread cautiously and carefully in the wake of police informants in the media houses. This heightened climate of fear perpetuates the already endemic self-censorship, which in turn bodes further ill for media freedom. The recall of Times of Swaziland managing editor, Martin Dlamini, from Government, has raised eyebrows within the discerning civil society and media fraternity. As someone now allegedly beholden to higher authorities, there is fear that the newspaper editorial independence is at stake. This fear has been exacerbated by his unprecedented coverage of King Mswati III’s trip to the United Nations in New York, later in the United Arab Emirates in October 2012, where he not only reported for his own publication but also for the competing Swazi Observer! Dlamini undertook this trip as part of