JOHANNESBURG Government-owned Zimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers) Group this week began exporting its biggest weekend publication The Sunday Mail, to South Africa, in what insiders say is meant to neutralise the flow of anti-government information in the neighbouring country. Piles of the weekend broadsheet were, beginning last week put up for sale in some select Johannesburg newspaper vending sites, especially in central Johannesburg and the slummy Hillbrow residential suburb, which accommodates most Zimbabwean nationals.
The (Zanu PF side of) government is concerned with the anti-state propaganda that it says is being published by South African newspapers and online publications and wants to counter that, said one of the papers desk editors during an interview with The Zimbabwean last week.
The paper is currently being sold on a test basis, while authorities look at ways of improving the paper to come up with a special South African edition, which will be able to compete with other weekend newspapers in that country.
Currently being sold at R10, the paper is more expensive than most weekend publications in South Africa, which cost between R3.50 and R6 and the Zimpapers might find it very difficult to market the paper, which usually parrots Zanu PF propaganda, while wantonly attacking Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirais MDC.
Most Zimbabweans living in South Africa are victims of political turmoil and a downward economic spiral, both of which spanned the past decade and are blamed on the failed policies of President Robert Mugabe and his party, which Zimpapers has blamed on the MDC and the West.
Against that background, the exiles might also snarl at the thought of buying the paper, let alone at such a high price, in a country where that amount of money can buy three hours of internet access.
The Zimpapers sources said that if it proves successful, the papers circulation would be increased immediately, in what is an apparent plan to sell the flagging Zanu PF propaganda to Zimbabwean exiles ahead of the countrys next elections, which might be held in the next year or two.
Post published in: News