By Tafadzwa Chigandiwa
Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) member and media mogul, Trevor Ncube has said journalists are still facing repression in the new dispensation.
Ncube’s utterances follow the arrest and assault of journalists in the country while conducting their duties during the national lockdown.
Speaking during yesterday’s (Tuesday) Checkpoint episode aired on South Africa’s ETV channel the veteran journalist stated that media freedom is still under threat like had been the case during former late President Robert Mugabe’s era.
Check Point usually focuses on SA’s issues but yesterday anchor,Nkepile Mabuse jumped boarders to its neighbouring country Zimbabwe.
The episode scrutinised Zimbabwe’s alleged human rights abuses, particularly to members of the fourth estate (journalists).
Award winning journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono who criticized corruption in government offices is one of the latest victims to facing trial.
Chin’ono is facing charges of inciting violence after supporting the 31July demonstration against corruption.
He was arrested on the 25th of August and is still in custody after he was denied bail thrice.
In yesterday’s interview with Check Point, Trevor Ncube revealed that he too was a victim of state’s arrests and was placed behind bars for 2 days during Mugabe’s era.
“I had travelled to Namibia for a conference, when I got back I heard the police were looking for me. They pitched up on Saturday told me they had come to pick me up, asking what have I done, they told me I was accused of criminal defamation, I was arrested and placed behind bars for 2 nights,” he revealed.
Ncube also disclosed that when other prisoners became aware of what had led to his arrest they recognised him as a hero.
The veteran journalists also revealed that prison experience builds and makes a journalist strong, he also tipped that Chin’ono will come out of prison stronger and more effective than before.
“I want to tell you, that place (prison) makes you stronger. When you get in there other prisoners ask why are you in here, I told them we wrote a story the system didn’t like and has decide to thrown me in here.
“We get in there frightened but when you come out of that place you are a different person, because when they have put you in prison what else can they do to you apart from killing.
“I can assure you that Hopewell is going to come out stronger and different, what else can they do to him apart from killing,” Ncube said.
Opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume who was arrested alongside with incarcerated Hopewell Chin’ono for allegedly inciting public violence for the 31st July demo is also a victim of states arrest together with recently arrested MDC-Alliance Vice Chairperson, Job Sikhala.
