‘Broke’ ESTVA, EBIS send journos
MBABANE – Government funded national television and radio stations (ESTVA and EBIS) had the luxury of sending journalists to the United Kingdom (UK) for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Kingdom of Eswatini, as a member of the 56-nation Commonwealth, was invited to the funeral and the head of State or his representative was expected to be in attendance. Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku represented the King at the funeral.
The journalists, Bongani Matsebula from Eswatini Television Authority (ESTVA) and Eswatini Broadcasting Information Services (EBIS) Mbekezeli Mabilisa, were part of the DPM’s delegation.
They travelled at a time when the ESTVA revealed that it was sinking in debt and requested a E200 million bailout from government.
Mayisela said the ESTVA journalist was supposed to stay between three to four days in London, which means the per diem he received could be between E29 240 and E29 920.
FINANCIAL TROUBLE
On Monday, during the day of the Queen’s funeral, ESTVA Acting Chief Executive Officer Andreas Dlamini informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the State-owned TV station was in so much financial trouble such that it has had to stop renting vehicles as a cost-cutting measure despite that those available were inadequate and presented difficulties, particularly for reporters, to go to destined areas to gather news.
By travelling to the Queen’s funeral, the journalists were given per diem of around E30 000 each.
Government also footed the journalists’ bill for flight tickets and accommodation.
Per diem is explained by Wikipedia as a specific amount of money an organisation gives an individual, often an employee, per day to cover living expenses when travelling for work.
Federalpay.org describes it as fixed amounts to be used for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses when travelling on official business.
As confirmed by ESTVA Corporate Affairs Manager Mncedisi Mayisela, the per diem rates as regulated by government were applied in this trip.
“We apply the government rates irrespective of whether it is the head of State or another delegate who is travelling. The per diem is just standard and is not specific to anyone,” he said.
GOVERNMENT RATES
In 2019, the government rates, which have reportedly not changed, states that when visiting the city of London, where the queen’s funeral was held at Westminster, a person is paid between US$430 and US$440 (E7 310 – E7 480 according to the latest exchange rate) a day.
Mayisela said the ESTVA journalist was supposed to stay between three to four days in London, which means the per diem he received could be between
E29 240 and E29 920.
This is the same amount that was supposed to have been received by the EBIS journalist.
In most instances, the Eswatini Government takes care of the accommodation expenses if the trip is not sponsored, just as the trip to the queen’s funeral was not.
Government also paid for the flight tickets for both journalists.
Mayisela and EBIS Director Sabelo Dlamini have defended the sending of the two journalists to the queen’s funeral, saying it was government policy.
“This trip was like that of a head of State because the deputy prime minister was sent by the King. For that reason, we are bound by policy, which dictates that there should be a journalist who travels. Over and above that, we need to have our own footage without relying on other international broadcasters that are in that particular event. We need the footage for our own archives,” Mayisela said.
BROADCAST LIVE
This was after he had been asked why it was necessary for the ESTVA journalist to go to cover the funeral yet the event was being broadcast live by major international television stations and networks.
These major international broadcasters provided live feed to other stations across the globe to be able to show the funeral to their viewers.
The BBC, for instance, was producing the bulk of the live feed of the funeral ceremony and was making use of a whopping 213 HD cameras placed