Former state-controlled newspaper editor, Caesar Zvayi, has caused a stir on social media after questioning The Herald’s decision to use the term “Gold Mafia” in its headline on Friday, which reported on the freezing of accounts belonging to individuals implicated in illegal gold dealings.
Zvayi, who was previously the editor of The Herald, tweeted, “But Seriously? I normally steer off the gaffes of my former employers but this one is too glaring. I’ve no dog in this fight, my issue is with the phrase ‘Gold Mafia’. It’s worrying when a paper of record adopts such framing. So @HeraldZimbabwe is saying there is a GOLD MAFIA?”
However, Professor Jonathan Moyo, a former government minister and political commentator, came to the defense of The Herald’s use of the term, arguing that it was appropriate given the nature of the story and the fact that the newspaper had been slow to cover the issue.
“In this case, @HeraldZimbabwe is right to reference and background the story as the ‘Gold Mafia’ not least because they are coming out to cover the story too late, when the horses have bolted,” Moyo tweeted. “It’s not easy to reframe something that has been firmly framed.”
Moyo went on to suggest that The Herald had missed an opportunity to frame the story earlier, when the issue of illegal gold dealings was first raised, but he commended the newspaper for finally covering the story and engaging in the “battle of narratives” around the issue.
The use of the term “Gold Mafia” in The Herald’s headline has sparked debate on social media, with some users questioning its accuracy and others defending its use. The term has been used in the past to describe criminal groups involved in illegal gold mining and smuggling, particularly in countries such as Colombia and Peru.
The freezing of accounts belonging to individuals implicated in illegal gold dealings is part of a wider crackdown on the illegal trade, which has been a major source of revenue for criminal groups and has contributed to environmental damage in some parts of the country. The Herald’s coverage of the issue is seen as significant given its close ties to the government and its role as a state-controlled newspaper.
Source – MasimbaNews✍
