urges Matekane to act as journalists demand accountability and stronger protection
Moroke Sekoboto
KANANELO Boloetse has urged Prime Minister Sam Matekane to establish a commission of inquiry into his alleged abduction and torture, saying constitutional guarantees alone cannot protect journalists without a genuine commitment to press freedom and accountability.
Mr Boloetse, a journalist and member of human rights organisation SECTION 2, spoke publicly for the first time this week since the alleged July incident, backing calls for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his abduction and the identification of those responsible.
He made the call on Tuesday during a virtual regional advocacy roundtable hosted by international human rights group, Intelwatch, which focused on legal and regulatory threats to press freedom across seven Southern African countries.
Mr Boloetse said he was willing to cooperate with the police and had already provided a statement but questioned why the authorities appeared to be focusing on him rather than the alleged perpetrators, who had not been apprehended.
He said he had remained available to provide any additional information required by investigators but did not understand why the police wanted to meet him physically when the information could be obtained virtually.
“I have given my statement to the police, they can take it from there and investigate. I am also willing to cooperate. What I don’t understand is why Chief of Police Advocate Borotho Matsoso and the police are focusing on me (the victim) instead of the perpetrators,” Mr Boloetse said.
“The perpetrators have not been apprehended yet they want me to report physically, saying I can do so virtually. What I need to understand, or what everyone else needs, is for the truth to come out.”
Mr Boloetse also criticised what he described as inadequate public updates on the investigation, saying the authorities should provide information on progress and demonstrate their commitment to establishing accountability.
He said a commission of inquiry would help establish what happened and ensure that those responsible were held accountable.
Mr Boloetse further challenged political leaders, law enforcement agencies and the public to reflect on how journalists investigating sensitive issues and holding those in power accountable were treated.
He cited the 10th Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for measures intended to strengthen the media’s role in promoting freedom of expression and public participation, protecting confidential sources, and establishing a media ombudsman and media council.
However, he said the protections were insufficient without a broader commitment to respecting democratic principles and the work of independent journalists.
“The Parliament passed the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution last year and has provisions addressing the media’s role in promoting freedom of expression and public participation, protecting confidential sources, and establishing a media ombudsman and media council.
“But about 16 days after its enactment, the editor of the Lesotho Times and Sunday Express Mohalenyane was detained and his phones confiscated by DCEO. Journalist Ralikonelo Joki was also murdered in 2023. In July I was abducted and tortured and days after that KEL Radio in Morija was vandalised,” Mr Boloetse said.
He argued that the incidents involving journalists and media organisations demonstrated that constitutional and legal safeguards needed to be matched by practical action.
“Press freedom cannot be secured by constitutional guarantees alone. Legal protections would have limited impact if democratic principles were not respected and practised. These provisions could deliver meaningful protection, but these incidents involving journalists and media organisations show that it doesn’t end with the legal frameworks. We need to deeply introspect and respect humanity,” he said.
Mr Boloetse said the ordeal had affected him emotionally as well as physically, leaving him uncertain about whether he would be able to enjoy the Christmas holidays with his family.
He said the psychological impact of the alleged attack had been particularly difficult, underscoring the need to consider the human consequences of violence against journalists.
Intelwatch’s Advocacy and Capacity Building Director, Owen Gagare, also called on Mr Matekane to use his authority to establish a commission of inquiry, saying it could uncover the truth, promote accountability and give those affected an opportunity to find closure.
Mr Gagare argued that the alleged abduction should not be viewed solely as a criminal matter but also in terms of its lasting impact on the victim and the wider media fraternity.
He warned that failure to hold perpetrators accountable could leave journalists vulnerable to further attacks.
Mr Gagare recalled the 2016 shooting of editor, Lloyd Mutungamiri, and the 2023 killing of journalist Ralikonelo Joki, saying the cases highlighted the need for meaningful accountability for violence against media workers.
Beyond the demand for investigations, participants called for greater cooperation among organisations working to defend journalists and promote press freedom in the region.
Representing the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Regional Office, Tabani Moyo warned that attacks on press freedom were under-documented because traditional monitoring methods often failed to capture emerging and evolving threats.
He called on media organisations, press freedom advocates and other stakeholders to establish a coordinated system to protect journalists facing threats.
Dr Moyo said organisations needed to draw on one another’s strengths, particularly where individual groups lacked the resources or expertise to respond effectively to specific threats.
He said collaboration was essential to building a stronger regional response to attacks on journalists and other threats to independent media.
