Media freedom concerns emerge ahead of Zim elections

[Click here for the web version of this email]( [Daily Maverick]( Wednesday, 11 July 2018 While You Were Working [Press safety concerns abound in Zimbabwe]( Just weeks from its first post-Mugabe elections and the Zimbabwean Defence Forces have hit out at journalists. In a worrying turn for press freedom hopes, Zimbabwe Defence Forces’ Colonel Overson Mugwisi singled out individual reporters for "mischievous reporting". The recent statements were made in the wake of months of journalist-related violence and intimidation. [Hermanus community clash with police]( Roughly 1,000 residents of Zelihle, Hermanus clashed with police today after rumours of a community leader's impending release caused turmoil. Protesters blocked roads and hurled rocks at police throughout the morning, eventually creating a tense-but-calm stand-off this afternoon. [First Technology.]( Your company's future is in the hands of your IT department. [Trump clashes with Merkel at NATO summit]( Day one of the Brussels-based NATO summit went off with more of a bang than the security alliance itself. United States President Donald Trump fired the first salvo at Germany, accusing it of being enthralled by Russia. Chancellor Angela Merkel in response retorted that Germany makes "independent decisions". Given the tone of things as they started, if the US pulls out of NATO entirely at this point it would not be a complete surprise. [Lekota makes things weird at presser]( Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota took to the mic stand today at a press conference focusing on coalition governance. Except, Lekota opted to focus on nothing to do with the topic at hand. The Cope chief instead railed against the "flood" of foreigners entering South Africa, encouraging the creation of refugee camps and generally shunning the less fortunate. Trump-mania, it seems, is not restricted to the US. [First Technology.]( Your company's future is in the hands of your IT department. Featured Articles [Lekota slams foreigners as parties call for coalition rule]( [Lekota slams foreigners as parties call for coalition rule]( BY Greg Nicolson [Safety of journalists in question as poll date nears]( [Safety of journalists in question as poll date nears]( BY Daily Maverick Staff Reporter [Ghosts of Zuma and Conflicts of Interest lurk behind Jiba, Mrwebi SCA majority finding]( [Ghosts of Zuma and Conflicts of Interest lurk behind Jiba, Mrwebi SCA majority finding]( BY Marianne Thamm Opinionistas [A Monarchy that makes a Mockery of our Constitution]( BY Oscar Van Heerden [Unsettled new politics and the ambivalent point of ‘25 years of democracy’]( BY Susan Booysen [Velaphi Khumalo case exposes intricacies of hate speech law]( BY Ivo Vegter [First Technology.]( Your company's future is in the hands of your IT department. [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2018 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Daily Maverick Afternoon Thing subscriber list. Want to advertise in this mail? [Talk to us.](mailto:advertise@dailymaverick.co.za?subject=Advertising%20query%3A%20Afternoon%20Thing) [Getting too many emails from us? Manage your preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](