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Herald Reporter
Media representative organisations advocating for ethical journalism practices in Zimbabwe have flagged unbalanced “investigative reporting” initiatives as fuelling unethical practices.
This comes after a privately-owned weekly newspaper, The Standard last month published a false story classified as “investigative” and was funded by the US Embassy’s public diplomacy section through a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Information for Development Trust (IDT).
According to the story, a Chinese-owned mining company in Hwange, Zhong Jian, is involved in labour malpractices by abusing and mistreating its employees, allegations which investigations have proven otherwise.
Further allegations claimed that an employee at the Chinese company, Mr Kudakwashe Nengomasha, “was struggling to live with the humiliation of being assaulted by his former work supervisor in front of friends and workmates over a minor dispute”.
Mr Nengomasha denied the contents of the report.
The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) and the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) yesterday said they are engaging stakeholders to visit sites where such allegations have been raised, while urging journalists to be factual.
ZUJ acting president Mr Michael Chideme yesterday said the union has been in contact with stakeholders from the Zimbabwe-China Friendship Association (ZCFA) who are ready “to go and verify matters”.
“We have been speaking with our colleagues at the ZCFA and they said they are ready and willing to take reporters to areas where these allegations are being raised.
“We can engage them to go on the ground and verify matters,” Mr Chideme said.
The US Embassy is currently funding anti-China activities in Zimbabwe, specifically targeting investments in the mining sector.
Mr Loughty Dube, the director of VMCZ, also highlighted that there is need for local journalists to observe ethical values when conducting their duty.
He also urged media organisations and people affected to be given the right of reply to establish facts.
“What is important is for journalists to observe ethics. Truthfulness, accuracy and being factual are the hallmarks of journalism.
“Stories have to be factual. Those individuals or companies should also be given the right of reply when such stories are published,” said Mr Dube.
Online Reporter