Violations against the media According to the annual Reporters Without Boarders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, countries in the Southern African region recorded a general decline in press freedom, with an escalation of attacks against the media. While some Southern African countries moved up and down the global rankings, Angola, Botswana, Malawi and Zambia recorded improved media freedom environments in their countries. The most improved country in terms of media freedom ranking was Malawi, which moved up seven places from being ranked 69 in 2020 to 62 in 2021. While a number of media violations were recorded in 2020, RSF noted that the enactment of the Access to Information law in Malawi was a positive sign that the operating environment for the media was improving. Zambia gained five places, moving to 115 from 120 in 2020. Despite the progress, RSF pointed out that as the country moved towards elections in August that year, the government moved to restrict media freedom. Zambia enacted the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act, which is widely seen as having a chilling effect on freedom of expression. Furthermore, an academic, Sishuwa Sishuwa, faced charges of sedition for an article that was published in a local newspaper. Angola was also a notable gainer, moving three places up from 106 to 103. Botswana gained one place from 39 to 38, while Eswatini remained on position 141 while Tanzania remained unmoved at 124. Mozambique, which was ranked 104 in 2020, fell to 108 in 2021. The country’s journalist, Ibrahimo Mbaruco, remains unaccounted for more than a year after he disappeared, with little indication that the government is doing much to locate him. An insurgency in northern Mozambique has seen an increase in media violations in that country. Zimbabwe is another country that slid on the rankings, falling from 126 to 130. While there have been some improvements such as the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw Zimbabwe tightening media regulations. The RSF reported that Zimbabwe had “positioned itself between Nigeria and Uganda on the podium of Africa’s most repressive countries with regard to the coverage of the coronavirus crisis”. Africa’s highest-ranked country, Namibia fell one place from 23 to 24, while Lesotho moved down two places from 88. South Africa fell one place from 32 to 31. These findings were echoed by the inaugural State of Press Freedom in Southern Africa Report, which was commissioned by MISA. The report noted that there had been some improvements in the state of media freedom and a reduction in media violations in some countries, but generally, the state of press freedom in the region continued to be on the decline. In 2021, MISA was particularly concerned with the rapid deterioration of the freedom of expression environment in Eswatini. To that end, in June 2021, MISA wrote a letter to King Mswati III expressing its disquiet with the media freedom environment in that country. In the letter, MISA pointed out that there had been a marked increase in the harassment, intimidation and physical violence against journalists, which resulted in almost constant self-censorship. In addition, MISA pointed out that Zweli Dlamini, the editor of the Swazi News, had been forced into exile in South Africa. Eugene Dube, another journalist, has also been forced into exile in South Africa and was unable to practise his trade in Eswatini. Dlamini and Dube’s “crimes” were that of writing articles deemed to be too critical of the King. MISA also expressed concern that the Monarchy had filed court papers in South Africa seeking to stop Eswatini publications from publishing stories on the King, his family and associates without their prior consent. MISA reminded the King that Section 24 of the Eswatini Constitution promotes freedom of expression, although this right remained elusive for media workers in that country. MISA further reminded the King of the revised principles of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Declaration on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information. The Declaration expressly calls on African governments to promote freedom of expression and of the media in their respective countries. The year 2021 was a rollercoaster for Tanzania, as it witnessed a transition, following the death of President John Magufuli, who was succeeded by the incumbent, President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Magufuli’s administration was tough on the media, with organisations regularly forced to shut down, while Hassan promised to allow more democracy in the media space. To illustrate this, in January 2021, authorities in Tanzania suspended Wasafi TV from broadcasting for six months for allegedly violating broadcasting regulations during a live show. This came on the backdrop of the violations witnessed during the previous year where several broadcasters and media houses had their licences revoked over a slew of allegations. This was all MISA Regional 2021 Annual 2021 Report 7