TWO Mzansi journalists who were detained in Eswatini were released on Sunday, 4 July.
This after their publication, New Frame, sent in lawyers to help them after they survived torture at Sigodvweni Police Station.
Magnificent Mndebele and Cebelihle Mbuyisa told Daily Sun what happened to them was the “daily experience” of Eswatini citizens.
They said they were passing via the MR3 highway after Manzini in Matsapha on Saturday, 3 July when they briefly stopped to take pictures of Swaziland Breweries, which is under heavy police guard.
“Our crime was photographing the area. A soldier came to the car and ordered us to delete the footage. I luckily took pictures using my cellphone, but Magnificent used his camera,” said Cebelihle.
They said they had to hide the memory card every time they took shots.
Magnificent said the soldier didn’t know what to do with them and phoned his superiors.
“A high-ranking soldier came over and demanded to know who we were, even after the junior officers had taken our details,” he said.
The soldiers then took their car keys and told them to get into one of the soldier’s car. They were taken to Sigodvweni Police Station, where they were put in a holding cell.
“After an hour, officers who identified themselves as Middleton and Khanyisile took us to a separate area of the police station, where they asked us questions.
“When they asked us what we do, we asked to do the questioning in the presence of a lawyer,” said Cebelihle.
He said the officers left them for almost an hour with no update on their request.
Cebelihle said they came back for him after an hour.
“They took me to what looks like a communal office, where there were about 15 police officers in plain clothes,” he said.
When the officers asked for specifics about what Cebelihle did, he again asked to speak to a lawyer.
“There was a blow to my face the moment I said that and I fell. They said: ‘No lawyers here. Who do you think you are?’”
“I tried again to respond and they asked which organisation I worked for. There was another blow when I told them I’m a journalist working for New Frame,” he said.
Cebelihle said they continued to assault him while asking why he wrote stories about Eswatini.
Meanwhile, Magnificent said he was choked while others beat him up.
They locked his legs and compressed his genitalia very badly. His head was also covered with a plastic bag.
Cebelihle and Magnificent were taken to Mbabane Clinic after their release, where the staff helped them with food and cellphones.
