Intathelizindaba zeZimbabwe zimanyene lezinye emhlabeni jikelele ukunanza usuku lokuhlonipha lokuqakathekiswa komsebenzi wazo ele World Press Freedom Day, kodwa zikhala ngokuthi zibhekana lenhlupho ezinengi njalo zisebenza phan si kwesimo esingasihle elizweni.
Ukuthakazelela usuku lolu lonyaka, inkokheli zenhlanganiso ezimela intathelizindaba zibuthene edolobheni le Windhoek kwele Namibia zinanza iminyaka engamatshumi amathathu selokhe kwalotshwa ugwalo lwesivumelwano se Windhoek Declaration.
Lesi sivumelwano salotshwa ngomnyaka ka1991 emhlanganweni owaqoqwa ngabenhlanganiso yomanyano wamazwe womhlaba eye UNESCO owabuthanisa intathelizindaba ukuba zikhulume inhlupho ezazihlupha ngalesosikhathi.
Lonyaka intathelizindaba lezi zihlangene njalo e Windhoek ukucubungula iziqondiso ze Windhoek Declaration, kuthi ezinye ezingenelisanga ukuba khona emhlanganweni lo, ziwungene ngenkundleni yebulenjeni be internet ku Zoom.
Ingcitshi ezikhulume emhlanganweni lo zithi umsebenzi wentathethi ulijekiseni lokwelapha indaba ezingamanga lenkulumo ezingasizo eziphuma enkundeni zakulezinsuku zokukhulumisana ezesocial media.
Ekhuluma ese Namibia, umhloli wenhlanganiso elawula umsebenzi wentathelizindaba eyeVoluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) uLoughty Dube uthi umsebenzi wokwethulwa kwezindaba uqhakathekile ikakhulu ngezikhathi ezinjengalezi zokuqhamuka kweCovid-19.
“Yikho sibona ukuqakatheka kwentathelizindaba ngesikhathi se Covid-19. Abantu bayabe befuna ukuthi naglesisikhathi bathole imibiko eqondileyo. Ngenxa yokusabalala kwendaba zamanga abantu bayabe bengela qiniso ngendaba abazitholayo, yikho intathelizindaba ziqakathekile”
Lokhu kugcizilelwe ngomunye umbalisi wekolitshini leZimbabwe Open University uMnu Nkosini Khuphe yena othi kungumlandu wentathelizi ukunceda uzulu ukwehlukanisa phakathi kwamanga le qiniso.
“Intatheli zizndaba ziqakatheke kakhulu ngalesi sikhathi se Covid-19 isikhathi lesi sihambisana lamanga akade egcwele kakhulu ku social media, abanye besithi uyasebenzisa lokhu ukuze uzelaphe, kodwa intatheli zincedile ukutsho iqiniso”
Okhokhela intathelizindaba ezisakhulayo uLeopold Munhende uthi njenge ntathelizindaba kwele Zimbabwe bahlangana le ndubo ezinengi.
“Lonyaka sikhumbula ilanga leli sisola njalo sicela uhulumende ukuba atshiyane loluntu bakhe bokubpha lokuhlukumeza intantelizindaba. Amalunga wenhlanganiso yethu yiwo abe ephambili ekulobeni indaba lezi eze Covid-19”
Umkhokheli we nhlanganiso yeZimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS) uNkosikazi Vivienne Marara-Zhangazha uthi isifiso sabo yikuba uhulumende aqhubeke esipha amathuba kumisakazo eminengi elizweni, ikakhuu eyezabelo, ukuze uzulu athole imibiko ehlukeneyo.
“Sifuna ukuthi uhulumende labathapha indaba benze uzulu athole izindaba lapho abayabe bekhona. Sithokoza ngoba lokhu kwenzakala ngesikhathi sekulemisakazo kazulu eyisithupha eyanikezwa uzulu nguhulumende”
Lokhu kusekelwe ngumgcinisihlalo we khomithi ebona ngezokukhitshwa kwemibiko ephalamende uNkosikazi Sipho Mokone- Ndlovu othi idale lephalamende liyenza konke okusemandleni alo ukuzama ukulungisisa indubo ezibhekane lentathelizindaba.
“Lusuku lapho umhlaba wonke nje jikelele othakazelela ukuba intathelizinsaba zizimele zodwa. Idale le phalamende lakhipha umthetho owawuncidezela intathezindaba owe AIPPA uyakhitshwa, sikhipha yonke imthetho encindezela intathethi”
Umsekeli ka mphathintambo wezokwethulwa kwemibiko, oyintathelizindaba ngokwakhe, uKindness Paradza uthi uhulumende kaMongameli Emmerson Mnangagwa uzimisele yikho esethula lokulolonga imithetho evikela ukuhlukunyezwa kwentathelizindaba.
“UMongameli lo esilaye khathesi sowatsho ukuba iAippa nguththeo umubi kakhulu. Sesakhipha iAIPPA sabeka iFreedom of Information Act (FIA), le Zimbabwe Media Commission Act, akukaze kwezakale lokhu”
Intathelindaba zeZimbabwe zibhekane lenhlupho ezinengi ezabalisa iholo eliphansi, ukubotshwa mahlayana ezigoqela abanjengoFrank Chikowere, Hopewell Chin’ono, Sam Takawira abasebenza bezimele leye Studio 7 olodaba olulokhe lusemthethwandaba sikhulumanje, uNunurai Jena yena owetheswa icala lokusebenza ngesikhathi se Covid-19 Lockdown.