Zimbabwe is freaking out over the absolutely terrific 2-day reporting on CNN International this week and done by its Africa correspondent David McKenzie from inside the failed state.
With inside access and tracking, tracing and persuading scared insiders to talk, correspondent David McKenzie's brilliant reporting gave CNN International (DStv 401) viewers a first hand view and insight on what is really going on in Zimbabwe.
The country is again being ravaged by renewed violence and unrest, growing public protest, a police clampdown and a new wave of civil resistance against despot Robert Mugabe's rule but the past few months outside media has been barred from access to the country to report freely on what's happening inside it.
Please watch and read David McKenzie's brilliant report right here.
For the past month and a half both CNN International and Sky News (DStv 402) have been brilliant at incisive, on the ground reporting from inside Zimbabwe and from South Africa's Limpopo border, exploring and showing the latest crisis escalating in the beleaguered Southern African nation.
Please watch and read Alex Crawford's incredible report right here.
Meanwhile South African TV news channels - eNCA, SABC News and ANN7 have done literally nothing besides running really old file footage and some wire service visuals with voice-overs - largely ignoring the growing crisis and humanitarian issues in South Africa's neighbouring country.
In an unintentionally hilarious response released today by the Zimbabwe Police, it starts by saying "While we agree that CNN like any other media institution have journalistic privileges these should never be abused".
"We watched with total disbelief an interview purported to have been carried out with a member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police," says C. Charamba, Zimbabwe police senior assistant commissioner.
"By merely looking at the shadowy figure with a voice that had been modified it is clear that this fictitious character would fit in a Hollywood style movie".
The Zimbabwe police then accuses CNN International that "it is very clear that the whole interview was manufactured and concocted or simply put it was stage managed".
The Zimbabwe police says "this is clearly unorthodox, unprofessional and malicious".
"It belies understanding why people go to such unprofessional lengths to plump the depth to come up with an entirely fictitious story.The reportage by CNN reporters is one sided to say the least suggesting that they had come to Zimbabwe on a mission."
