Lesotho’s security sector has come out in support of Prime Minister Matekane. The police, who were accused of assaulting and torturing Molati are yet to be brought to book, despite Commissioner of Police Holomo Molibeli, indicating that action would be taken against the police officers, who allegedly tortured him. Some of the reforms being considered were aimed at curbing the involvement of the security sector in politics. In October 2023, the DCEO asked Molati to hand over documents he had referred to on air, in relation to a story he was working on. The inclination to self-censor has become more prevalent following the murder of well known investigative journalist Ralikonelo “Leqhashasha” Joki of Tšenolo FM. Although the DCEO maintained that they only required the documents for their investigations and not because they were asking Molati to reveal his sources, this was still perceived by journalists and the media fraternity as a threat and a violation of his freedom of expression and an even bigger threat to the media sector. Although the suspects in Joki’s murder have since been arrested and appeared in court on June 26, 2023, (1) the sluggish pace of the investigation has been worrisome. Following the murder, other journalists have also received threats intimating they would be killed in similar fashion, proving once more how volatile the political atmosphere in Lesotho can be. The increased security fears in the media landscape can be traced back to when Joki was killed, for as yet unknown reasons, although speculation is rife that this had to do with his work at the broadcaster. (3) While instances of threats and attacks against the media by the security sector have subsided, journalists are still facing a number of challenges — with media viability and sustainability topping the list. Threats from politicians who have been exposed for wrongdoing widespread. MISA Lesotho described Joki’s killing as “an affront to our attainment of democracy that is couched on pillars of free speech and a free press”. (4) Prior to Joki’s killing, a number of threats had been made on social media platform Facebook, but these were not taken seriously. (5) An access to information law and far-reaching media reforms would go a long way in assisting the media to operate impactfully and effectively. In June 2023, in a similar fashion to events prior to Joki’s killing, a person named Ramoriana Mphoto — whose Facebook account is believed to be fake — also issued threats to radio presenters from People’s Choice Radio, Tšenolo FM, KEL Radio, and ACL Radio. Safety of journalists and freedom of expression Media freedom, access to information, freedom of expression and the safety of journalists is intricately intertwined with the political and economic landscape of Lesotho. The threats were chilling and sent shockwaves through the media industry, leaving journalists wondering who would be the next target as they exchanged texts in instant messaging groups. However, despite the nature of the threats, no reports were made to the police. Although tensions have subsided over the years, journalists remain wary and many have opted to leave the country to ensure their survival. Teboho Ratalane, a radio presenter who was among those threatened, shared some thoughts regarding the social media threats. In the most recent incident Lebese Molati, a radio presenter and news anchor at the Anglican Church of Lesotho (ACL) radio station, felt compelled to seek asylum in South Africa after being summoned by the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO). According to Ratalane, these threats may not have been directed specifically towards him or his organisation. Instead, he believed that they could be a diversionary tactic employed by the individuals responsible for Joki’s death. Molati’s fears may be due to the fact that he was detained and allegedly assaulted in 2021 after DCEO called him in for questioning over his report on alleged missing guns while working for one of the local radio stations, 357FM. (2) STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023 Their aim might have been to divert attention away from the true reasons that could have led to the tragic killing of the broadcaster. 38