The Political and Economic History of Swaziland’s First Indigenous-language Newspaper, Izwi Lama Swazi (The Voice of the Swazi)

Abstract

In many former British colonies, the British introduced newspapers and radio to control the hearts and minds of the settler and indigenous communities. Likewise in Swaziland, a former British Protectorate, the British took over the running of the first indigenous-language newspaper, Izwi Lama Swazi, from 1947 to 1964. Despite the fact that Izwi Lama Swazi was a loss-making venture, they continued to fund the paper until its dissolution. This article offers an historical account of Izwi Lama Swazi during the British colonial era (1902–1968). It investigates and illuminates the role of the colonial government in the running of Izwi Lama Swazi. It seeks to ascertain in what ways the publication was used by the colonial government to advance white settler domination in Swaziland and to subdue the Swazi intelligentsia from forms of unrest. A question that arises is why, despite the publication running at a loss, the colonists continued to fund the paper. Using Gramsci’s hegemony and propaganda theories, the paper draws from archival documentation to unearth the agenda pursued by the colonists. The study concludes that the British needed a voice to communicate with the Swazi people, especially after the controversial land expropriation and introduction of hut tax.