Zim state media ‘ignores’ Mandela death

via Zim state media ‘ignores’ Mandela death | SW Radio Africa by Alex Bell  December 6, 2013  

Zimbabweans have expressed disappointment that the state broadcaster all but ignored the death Thursday night of former South African President Nelson Mandela, only mentioning the news a handful of times throughout Friday.

Mandela’s death was announced late Thursday night by South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma. For Zimbabweans, the news first came through by way of online social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter, while many received the news via the WhatsApp smartphone messaging app.

All international news media have been leading with the news since it was announced on Thursday night. But in Zimbabwe, the ZBC has only mentioned the historic news very briefly.

Bekezela Fuzwayo Maduma, an MDC candidate for Gwanda South, told SW Radio Africa that he was surprised by the lack of attention ZBC radio was giving Mandela’s death.

“I’ve been listening the whole day (Friday) and there’s been nothing on the news. Instead every ten minutes or so there is a news jingle with another update about a national hero called Brigadier Misheck Tanyanyiwa who will be buried at the national heroes acre on Sunday,” Maduma said.

Maduma said he “expected a lot more,” a view that was shared by other Zimbabweans who took to Facebook to express their disappointment. Maduma meanwhile also said he was disappointed that there was no official statement or condolence message from the Zimbabwe government.

“Everywhere else there are leaders expressing their condolences. Even in India there have been days declared as mourning says. But in Zimbabwe, nothing,” Maduma said.

It is widely known that Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe did not hold Mandela in very high esteem, saying in public forums that he thought the South African leader “too forgiving.”

“Mandela has gone a bit too far in doing good to the non-black communities, really in some cases at the expense of (blacks),” Mugabe told talk show host Dali Tambo in an interview this year.

“That is being too saintly, too good, too much of a saint,” he said.