Between freedom and advertising

The government 'reasoned' that it was not compelled to advertise in any newspaper. At the time, the government said the ban was imposed on the two newspapers for economic reasons. The two publications took the matter to court where Justice Isaac Lesetedi ruled against the government, characterising the ban on advertising in the two newspapers as unconstitutional.

The High Court ruling was hailed as a victory for media freedom and freedom of expression. As it turned out, the government had been both very economic with the truth and unreasonable when it said the ban was for economic reasons. The reason and the truth was that the government regarded the two publications as being too critical of the country's leaders and deserved punishment for their "irresponsible reporting" that exceeded "editorial freedom".