Swazi Observer

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BENNETT: AN ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC INTEREST

By Mbongeni Mbingo | 2025-03-09

I have been deliberately sitting it out these past couple of months, because honestly I have to remind myself sometimes that I am not superman and I should not try to be one.
Of course, those who know me, or shall we say, closest to me, will tell you about my passion for not just this job, but the industry – and my ‘can do attitude’, as some other conglomerate usually likes to insist to its employees. Therefore, I never pull out of a challenge, a responsibility or anything remotely associated with putting my hand up.

I take it with both hands and apply myself to the fullest; one to measure myself as to that task and two, to learn.
I take it those who follow the writings of this column will understand what I am talking about, but anyone else who needs to get on to the conversation, well, you have my number.
But, if you have to know, well, where have you been!

Anyway, the truth is that I have been working my buttocks off these past couple of months and while I do attach serious significance to the weekly privilege to communicate my thoughts and insights with the public, I felt that it was worth my sanity to try and focus on the big task assigned to me.
itching
The end result was that although I was itching to write, to have my views put there, there was this other thing that I attach to my column – which is focus, serious attention to what I am saying and then the right moment and atmosphere.
That eco-system to writing for a national newspaper is very essential if you take what you do seriously, and I never want to be the person who writes to just tick a box. I want to always challenge myself to writing better, and communicating better and taking the issue I am writing about seriously.
So anyway, I have mentioned previously that I treasure this privilege so much that it may take me hours to get the article out and if it does not feel right, then it is spiked! In fact, I can admit to resisting the temptation to publish my thoughts on that controversial incident at the Mountain View Hotel because you guys were not ready to hear me out!

This is despite me writing that article over three days! Perhaps one day I shall have it published, but for now what I make of that incident remains in my drafts for that day when the world is ready to hear my truth!
But, that is in the past, what is more pertinent is that I am in a better space now to start writing again and I promise to make up for the lost months! Hopefully, readers of this column will get a refreshing perspective of the issues obtaining in our socio-political space and while not agreeing with my views, benefit from an alternative narrative if not just the plain truth – and nothing but the truth.
Anyway, my appetite for writing was actually tickled the other day when I walked into Walter Bennett’s office for what was meant to be a brief discussion on the thorny issue of the Luke Commission subvention, which has divided opinion up and down the length and breath of this country.
Admittedly, The Luke Commission has done an incredible job in this country by providing the services it does for Emaswati and whatever positions we take on the issue of whether they deserve government funding shouldn’t take away that they are an important component of the well-being of Emaswati.
Yet, the institution shouldn’t be immune to the odd criticism, and the difficult ‘uncomfortable truth’ as Walter Bennett puts it from the public – especially if they are to ask for financial assistance to be able to do what they pride themselves for providing for the public.
However, what one notices is that as soon as the ‘uncomfortable truth’ is raised, you are immediately the enemy of peace and the people – and a certain number of politicians. In fact, before I get to my point about Walter Bennett’s office, let me just say that I always find it fascinating when MPs try to ride on the backs of the services the TLC provides, while neglecting the same argument when approaching the health crisis that has plagued this country throughout all of our national hospitals.
It is almost as if they have amnesia when they talk about the people who benefit from the services The Luke Commission provides, forgetting that the same people have to travel long distances to Sidvodvoko because they are sitting on their backside and enabling corruption to thrive within the health sector – simply because they benefit from the crumbs that fall off the table.
Anyway, I digress. That will be an issue for another day, because now I am convinced that this country is faced with a serious deficiency of truth because everyone wants to find a way to butter their bread.
All I know is that the truth eventually comes out. It may take time, but it will come out and history tells us that it has always been there to judge us.
So, anyway, if you ever walk into Walter Bennett’s office you will immediately appreciate why we the media indulge him so much – quote him, pursue the issues and spend time following his argument.

The reason, really is simple – and quite basic; it is right there when you stare at all the newspaper cuttings and piles of files laying about, many of which you can be certain have not been touched in years.
Interestingly, he brandished this article from 2011 during our interview that was so relevant to the current discourse it was admirable that he had kept it this long!
The point about why we become fascinated about him is that Bennett cares about the issues – and cares deeply.
He reads. He lives the life. And then most importantly, he takes the media seriously almost to the point to hold it accountable for its own failings.
Here is the proverbial news source that is gold for every journalist worth his salt, except that these days journalists only think about snooping on social media for news and avoiding the people who will challenge them to fight the cause for the people.
Journalism is at its weakest because we in the media think that news is available online when real issues affecting society are buried in the files and minds of people of the ilk of Walter Bennett – people who have nothing to gain about an issue except that the people’s voice must be heard.
The existence of the piles of files and cuttings around his office is a stark reminder that this man reads newspapers – and very closely. In fact, he reads even closer than the journalists themselves, who fail to follow their own stories despite all the hard work that goes into putting these together – and this being their core responsibility.
The business of journalism is that we should take ourselves seriously when we pursue issues of public interest.

But in recent years, journalists have failed the test and tend to treat the stories they pursue lightly. Bennett though, hogs the sentences and paragraphs we publish. He follows the argument. He keeps the stories and makes sure to go through it for context and enrich himself with more reading.
So anyway, walk into his office and let your eyes wander around. Pile by pile, copies of newspapers and photocopies of stories he has either followed up or intends to follow up. Every matter of public interest, Walter Bennett has it in file.
This, I said to myself while I was listening to him speak, is why media exists. We exist because we want our readers, the public, the public servants and everyone else who matters, to take us this seriously. Society is all the better when it can take up the issues and use the media to make a difference in their small little spaces.
Media exists to raise the issues and fight the cause. Media does not exist to repeat the statements and report only on the activities of the day. Media has a responsibility to report issues of public interest – with interest.
Media’s core responsibility is to pursue the issues that safeguard the interests of the people – some may even say, the downtrodden.
This I strongly believe is why we all ought to make time to listen to people like Bennett – because to some degree, it is no different to holding the media accountable not just the public, but the issues themselves.
Bennett, in my view is a clear advocate for public interest because of the importance he attaches to the issues he raises.
Media thrives on such scrutiny and interest. If not then it should. Media lives on such feedback and enriched discourse from people who know what they are to get from the inches the newspapers give them to put their points across.
It is such a shame then, that there are not that many Walter Bennetts and that many of us in the media don’t recognise how privileged we are to have access to such resource.

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