‘It's an attack on media freedom’: Deputy Minister Kenny Morolong on missing journalist Aserie Ndlovu
Community radio journalist Aserie Sibusiso Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli have been missing since February 18.
Image: Facebook
Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Kenny Morolong, has visited the family of missing Pretoria journalist Aserie Sibusiso Ndlovu who mysteriously vanished in February.
Speaking to journalists after meeting with the SA Police in Mpumalanga, Morolong said he was optimistic there would be a breakthrough on the missing persons case.
"We are told there is a joint investigation between the Gauteng and Mpumalanga police, which is why progress has been registered so far. We are quite encouraged," he said.
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"We also met the family - Sibusiso's mother, the sister and the son to the partner, Zodwa. We also had an opportunity to allow them to interact with the police and they have also demonstrated utmost confidence in the ability of the police to crack this case."
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Kenny Morolong interacting with police on Sunday
Image: GCIS
He said the family had expressed gratitude for the support from different stakeholders.
Morolong said government sees the disappearance of Ndlovu as an affront to media freedom in South Africa.
"We are a government that upholds media freedom. We are a government that understands the value of media freedom. We see this incident as an attack on media freedom. An attack on media freedom is an attack on our constitutional democracy. We will not allow the media to be attacked, to be harassed," he said.
Missing journalist Aserie Ndlovu.
Image: File
"That is why we are here to not just demonstrate our support, but to send a message out there, that the media remains the lifeblood of our democracy. We must protect media freedom, we must uphold media freedom. We must be seen to be vociferous about incidents that seem to undermine the many gains and strides we have made in our efforts to protect, uphold and defend media freedom."
Aserie Ndlovu, founder of Capital Live FM, was last seen on February 18, 2025.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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