Media Institute of Southern Africa (Windhoek)
28 October 2008
press release
On 27 October 2008 Sisho Magagula, a journalist with the state-owned "Swazi Observer" newspaper was harassed and had his digital camera confiscated and prints deleted by South African police while covering a border blockade protest by Swazi and South Africa trade unions. This harassment took place at the Swaziland and South Africa border post of Oshoek.
According to Magagula, the police demanded to know why he was taking pictures in South Africa when he was a Swazi journalist. His explanation that the Swazi press had an interest in the issue as the border blockade was targeted at Swaziland fell on deaf ears.
The officers forcibly grabbed Magagula's camera and went on to delete all pictures before handing it back to him. The journalist said his appeals to the police superiors present were ignored. Magagula says he was shaken by the ordeal.
BACKGROUND:
Swazi and South African trade unions had planned to block all goods destined for Swaziland to step up pressure on the Swazi government to embrace multi-party democracy. However, the event failed to take place as the unions said they did not intend to blockade the border, but merely to enforce a stoppage in the processing of goods from South Africa to Swaziland.
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