By McGeorge Mbare
Media practitioners from various media houses in Beitbridge joined the rest of the world in celebration of World Press Freedom Day, a significant day which acknowledges the freedom of press and the importance of the fourth estate.
The Matebeleland South ZUJ chairperson, Mvele Zondo read the Zimbabwe Union of Journalist,Secretary General Perfect Hlongwane ‘s speech to the gathering where the Secretary General called upon media practitioners to reflect on the press freedom in Zimbabwe and test the government ‘s commitment in implementing constitutional freedom accorded to the media.
“Fellow Journalists, media workers and partners in civic society, revolutionary greeting to you ospicious occasions of the World Press Freedom Day where we are all called upon to reflect on press freedom in our country and test the government ‘s commitment in implementing constitutional freedom accorded to the media.
“We commomarate this World Press Freedom Day, the heavy shadow of regression, a regression of media freedoms in our beloved country Zimbabwe. We converge not celebrate, but to reunite our collective call for genuine press freedom, to reflect on our struggles and to assert our rights, not priviledge , to inform, questions and hold power to account”said the ZUJ Secretary General in the speech read on his behalf.
Beitbridge ‘s commemoration of World Press Freedom Day was full hope and energy as journalists celebrated a day in honour of their profession. The 3rd of May is set aside internationally as World Press Freedom Day in recognition of the crucial role media Practioners play on the globe.