Eswatini Editors Forum Chairman Mbongeni Mbingo has been elected Deputy Chairperson of the newly-formed Southern African Press Councils (SAPC).
This follows the official launch of the regional association in Lusaka, Zambia, on Wednesday.
Mbingo will serve alongside Phathiswa Magopeni, Executive Director of the Press Council of South Africa, as deputies to the association’s inaugural Chairperson, Loughty Dube.
The duo will support Dube in operationalising the new regional body tasked with strengthening media accountability and ethical journalism across Southern Africa.
The SAPC was formally established following the adoption of the Zambia Declaration, which outlines the organisation’s mandate and vision.
Founding members include media representatives from Eswatini and Botswana, the Press Council of South Africa, Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ), Media Ombudsman of Namibia, Zambia Media Self-Regulation Council and Media Council of Malawi.
Mbingo’s appointment comes as the association seeks to promote ethical journalism, professional standards and independent media self-regulation systems in the region.
SAPC will also facilitate knowledge sharing among press councils, advance press freedom, and encourage responsible journalism.
The formation of SAPC comes amid rising challenges for the media sector, including misinformation, declining public trust, and increasing threats to media freedom.
Member organisations highlighted the need for collective action to reinforce democratic values, transparency, and accountability.
The regional body is also expected to engage with institutions such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union, alongside civil society and international partners, to support media development initiatives across the continent.
SAEF CONGRATULATES MBINGO ON DEPUTY CHAIR APPOINTMENT
The Southern African Editors Forum (SAEF) has congratulated Eswatini Editors Forum Chairman Mbongeni Mbingo on his election as Deputy Chairperson of the newly-formed Southern African Press Councils (SAPC).
Mbingo was elected during SAPC’s inaugural meeting in Lusaka on Wednesday following the adoption of the Zambia Declaration, a framework designed to strengthen ethical journalism and press freedom.
He joins Chairperson Loughty Dube of Zimbabwe and Deputy Chair Phathiswa Magopeni of South Africa in leading the regional body.
“We are immensely proud of Mbongeni Mbingo. His leadership within our Forum has always been exemplary, and his election to the SAPC executive is a win for the entire regional media community.
We are confident that his experience will be instrumental in realising the vision of the Zambia Declaration,” said Willie Mponda.
The forum highlighted that the SAPC will address challenges such as misinformation, declining public trust, and threats to media freedom while fostering collective action and reinforcing democratic values across the SADC region.
SAEF also extended congratulations to Dube and Magopeni, affirming its support for the new leadership team as they work to promote accountability, ethical journalism, and a free media landscape in Southern Africa.
