Addressing a Dangerous Media Pattern

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 March 2025

Another Day. Same Publication. More Headlines. More Lies.
What Are They Trying to Protect? Who Are They Fighting?

Over the past year, a dangerous media pattern has unfolded. The same publication. The same reporters. The same false stories—day after day—targeting the same institution: The Luke Commission (TLC). A coordinated campaign of disinformation, led exclusively by the Eswatini Observer, has been driven by a tight circle of bylines: Mbongeni Mbingo, Sibusiso Dlamini, and Nokuphila Haji—seemingly with the same goal: to dismantle what is working.

And it’s not just the same reporters. It’s the same voices, again and again—former Minister Lizzie Nkosi, Walter Bennett, and a handful of others—repeating narratives so aligned, so rehearsed, and so consistent, they clearly are not operating independently. The pressure is visible. The coordination is undeniable. And both local and international audiences can see it clearly.

The agenda is unmistakable. The repetition is relentless. And the silence from other media houses is now raising deeper questions: Have they been threatened? Who is applying the pressure? What is the Observer trying to protect? And more urgently, who is the Observer fighting?

There have been no formal requests for information. No effort to verify facts. No attempt to review public documents. Just a steady stream of sensationalism, calculated distortions, and character attacks—all designed to silence truth and dismantle hope.

These attacks are not about TLC. They are attacks on the majority. They are attacks on Emaswati patients, Emaswati healthcare workers, and every citizen who depends on a functioning, compassionate, and effective health system—on every Emaswati who wants to thrive, not just survive.

These attacks do not reflect the direction His Majesty has repeatedly called for: unity, truth, national progress, and equitable access to healthcare for all.

TLC continues to serve—without fail. We do so with the blessing of His Majesty—in partnership with government, with global allies, and—most importantly—with the people. Our work is rooted in transparency, accountability, excellence, and love.

We have responded to every formal inquiry. We have submitted hundreds of pages of documentation. We have opened our doors and shown our work to anyone and everyone. And yet the attacks persist.

Why? Perhaps because TLC threatens the systems or individuals that profit when healthcare fails. Perhaps because we are proving what’s possible when patients—not profits—come first. Perhaps because someone is working overtime to protect a system that is not working.

Is that really in the best interest of Emaswati? Why is the Observer amplifying division instead of helping the nation confront what’s costing Emaswati their lives? Why waste energy targeting solutions when so many are still suffering? What kind of publication fights against progress? This is not journalism. It is manufactured chaos.

Meanwhile, the world is watching. While international institutions have renewed demands for excellence, results, and transparency—the Eswatini Observer is broadcasting confusion, hostility, and instability. It is damaging our global credibility—and we cannot afford that.

Top 10 in health spending in Africa. Bottom 10 in health outcomes. The public deserves to know why. Where is the money going? Who benefits from dysfunction? And who stands to lose when transparency, innovation, and efficiency take root?

The time has come for an independent investigation into this coordinated media assault and the larger ecosystem it appears to protect. Such an inquiry would likely reveal not only why TLC is being attacked—but why the health system continues to lag despite significant investment.

The real question is not: “Why are they attacking TLC?”
The real question is: What are they trying to hide?

We will continue to stand for the health and dignity of every Emaswati citizen. We will continue to stand with the Emaswati staff who show up every day—even when their last salaries were paid in January—while artificial barriers continue to block their livelihoods.

It was our staff who pushed back: “You must stand up and speak back. We are not happy that the executive management is staying quiet. You must stop letting lies be told about us.”

We stayed silent for years. Those years are over. We have heard the cries of our staff and our patients. We invite others to stand with us—not for TLC, but for truth.

We believe His Majesty’s vision for a thriving Eswatini cannot be achieved through silence and sabotage, but through courage, truth, and putting people first.

NB: We honor the 400 staff who continue to serve Emaswati with courage and sacrifice—and we remember the 300 staff who have lost their jobs as a result of this coordinated effort to undermine those who have delivered healthcare with love, dignity, and excellence.

To those demanding accountability: This is what accountability looks like—facts, documents, and transparency. We will break down every article—one each day—in the coming days, share the evidence, and speak the truth. Silence is no longer an option.

To the many members of the public who have thanked us for telling the truth, for standing up, and for shining light in the darkness—thank you for your love and support.

Together, let us continue pressing forward—toward a day when Eswatini leads Africa in excellence, innovation, efficiency, digital transformation, and compassionate care.

For further inquiries, please contact: Lindani Sifundza, Director of Communications, The Luke Commission +268 7808 7200