MINISTER Savannah Maziya has advised journalists to avoid agenda-driven reporting.
She said the media played a major role in shaping the country’s image to investors and the younger generation. She emphasised that journalists must reveal wrongdoing, but should not focus exclusively on negative stories.
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“People are reading and listening to what is being published. It is your responsibility to tell the truth and provide proof, not to write stories simply to sell the paper,” she said.
Maziya added that in some countries, reporters do not attack their country, but rather hold individuals accountable. She then urged local reporters to try and report more positively and say good things about the country.
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She said this was not to say that they should not report the bad things that were happening.
“Write the truth, individualise issues, but avoid branding the whole country as bad. Individuals have issues, not the nation,” she said, urging the media to contribute to nation-building.
My first two years have been challenging – Minister Savannah
MINISTER of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) Savannah Maziya says her two-year term in office has been challenging but has taught her the value of patience.
Maziya shared this during a meeting with members of the Eswatini National Association of Journalists (ESNAJ) and the Editors’ Forum at the ministry yesterday.
She said her two-year journey had not been easy, and her challenges were well documented. However, she noted that she was fortunate not to be the type to “throw in the towel”, adding that she always tried to bring perspective to issues.
The minister said when someone was entrusted with a task, they should commit fully and perform it to the best of their ability.
Maziya acknowledged that mistakes and challenges were inevitable, explaining that many people fail to appreciate that she entered government determined to make the most of the ministry.
She said her goal was to strengthen the ministry in a way that would also benefit other ministries and the private sector, as her ministry is a service-oriented one.
“I am big on choosing the best person for the job. I believe that when you are called to serve the country, it is the greatest honour anyone can receive. If you have been honoured, do right by selecting the best people, doing the best you possibly can, and being responsible with the budget you have been given. You must also account for it,” she said.
She added that leaders should strive to ensure the people they work with grow professionally and become better than they were found. She admitted that she was a workaholic, which not everyone was, but stressed the importance of expanding the ministry’s reach.
Despite the challenges, Maziya said working in government had been interesting because it had taught her patience. She now understood that people work at different paces and that leaders must meet people where they are. She said learning and change are difficult processes, but progress is possible if they push for improvement.
“I am encouraged by what we are doing and what we plan to do, even though we are sometimes limited by budgets. In five years, we will be in a different position from where we are now, because as a ministry we are truly committed to supporting other ministries and digitising the country as much as we can,” she said.
She urged the media to work with the ministry and understand that, while they strive to deliver, they may stumble along the way. She said the media should allow government to fail and learn, because failure is part of improvement.
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