Thursday, August 6, 2009

SWAZILAND SENATOR IN DISGRACE

The Swazi senator who wanted to muzzle the media because they reported she had a public fight with the Senate President has been censored by a select committee.


Ndileka Dlamini had a fight with Senate President Gelane Zwane at a hotel in Pigg’s Peak in March this year.


When the media reported that the two women had to be dragged apart to stop violence taking place, Dlamini accused the media of having embarrassed her.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) reported at the time that a senate select committee was set up to investigate the media with a view to punishing journalists. The senate warned the media against publishing further reports on the matter.

Now it is revealed that a Senate Select Committee has in fact found that Dlamini was at fault and is guilty of insulting the Senate President. The Committee said Dlamini displayed ‘gross insubordination, unprofessional conduct, and disrespect’. The committee recommended that Dlamini be suspended from the Senate for three months.

The committee also said Dlamini should apologise to Zwane and to the Swazi public at large. If this happens, according to the Times of Swaziland (the kingdom’s only independent daily) this will be the ‘first time in the history of the Swazi Parliament’.

Senate previously passed a motion that banned the two from talking to the media about the matter. This motion has not been lifted.

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