Swaziland: Church in bid to censor the media

The church wants to gag the country's two daily newspapers, the Times of Swaziland and the Swazi Observer as well as the privately-owned Channel Swazi television station. In a court application, Stephen Hlophe, a member of the church claimed that media reports about the dispute in the church have so far been confusing and that the media has reported in a manner that is offensive and which violates a principle of journalism on matters that are still pending before court.

He said the media has a potential to cloud issues to the detriment of the ongoing court process. Hlophe added that a large portion of the reports are based on a letter which in itself is clouded in controversy. The letter, published recently, was purported to have been written by the Swaziland League of Churches, which presided over the Jericho Church dispute, claiming that the dispute had been solved.

For Channel Swazi, the church wants the High Court to ban a programme set to be broadcast on Thursday, 12 February, because it believes the station will continue to talk about the leadership dispute in the church. The cited media houses are yet to file opposing papers before the High Court decides on the matter.