remains to be seen whether rules of entry are not so stringent that they become prohibitive, particularly for community broadcasting services. (5) to cut communication with “proscribed entities”. This short-sighted decision not only hampers the government’s own right to respond, but affects media plurality as well. Community broadcasting services are significant because they provide a voice for communities that are not adequately served by other broadcasting sectors. Media independence In Section 24, the constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini guarantees freedom of expression for both individuals and the press. However, limitations to this provision arise in Section 24(3). Currently, there are only two licensed community radio stations in Eswatini; the Voice of the Church FM, also called Trans World Radio Swaziland, which has a predominantly Christian audience as well as UNESWA FM, licensed under the University of Eswatini for academic purposes. Section 24(3)(b) allows for laws that limit the right to freedom of expression, provided that this is reasonably required for “protecting the reputations, rights and freedoms of other persons, or the private lives of persons concerned in legal proceedings” (8). Other community radio stations, such as Lubombo Community Radio, are still awaiting an enabling legal environment to operate (6). In a context where radio remains a popular medium in the country, the absence of licensing mechanisms for community broadcasters has serious implications on access to information, media pluralism and participation at grassroots level. Laws that protect reputations have been used against the media in defamation cases, resulting in media institutions having to self-censor to avoid legal battles. Defamation cases against journalists in Eswatini are well documented, with almost all publications having been brought to court on charges of defamation. The chairperson of the editors’ forum was, at one time compelled to raise concern about the frivolity of these cases. The print media landscape remains unchanged following the entry of a new player in 2022 — the Rubicon Africa Media Group — which publishes the Eswatini Financial Times, Eswatini Daily News and Eswatini Sunday News. In recent years, defamation laws have landed almost all publications in court, with the exception being publications published under the newly-established Rubicon Africa Media Group. This media group joined the ranks of the privately-owned Times of Eswatini and the Eswatini Observer, but with a slight difference. The Observer Group is effectively controlled by the royal family, through Tibiyo TakaNgwane while the Times of Eswatini Group, although independent of government, practises high levels of self-censorship due to the country’s constrained media environment. According to the chairperson of Eswatini National Editors’ Forum Mbongeni Mbingo, “defamation laws are regularly used to punish journalists and publications with crippling fines that have the effect of closing newspapers down” (9). In 2023, Eswatini ranked 111 out of 180 countries on the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index (7). This leads to self-censorship by the media, as it seeks to protect itself from lawsuits and keep media businesses open, thus inadvertently harming democracy and stifling the free-flow of information in the process. This is a 20-point improvement from 2022, when Eswatini was ranked 131. The Sedition and Subversion Act (SSA), 1938 and Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA), 2008 have also had an enormous impact on media pluralism and diversity. Safety of journalists Intimidation has been used to curtail freedom of expression among journalists. The South Africa-based online publication, Swaziland News, and its editor, Zweli Martin Dlamini were declared proscribed entities under the STA. The safety of journalists and media workers is not guaranteed in Eswatini. Journalists face intimidation from the state and the public. Subsequently, the government took a position STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023 34