Basildon Peta

Basildon Peta (c. 1972 – ) was the second journalist ever to be awarded the Media Institute of Southern Africa's Press Freedom Award for his reporting in Zimbabwe. In his homeland, Peta was persecuted and he fled for his life after receiving threats from the Robert Mugabe regime in 2001 and incurring a brief detainment in Harare before the April 2002 elections. Since his exile in February 2002 to South Africa, Peta has reported for newspapers in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. He currently writes editorials and is the owner of a newspaper publishing company in Maseru, Lesotho.

Personal He grew up in Chitungwiza, which is commonly referred to as "Chi Town."

He also has worked for the Zimbabwe Independent.

Later, after his reporting about the white-black land wars were published, a Mugabe's spokesperson labelled Peta a "terrorist" in 2001. He was detained again in February 2002 under Zimbabwe's newly enacted Public Order and Security Act for 15 hours. Peta was the first journalist arrested after the strict law had been passed. He left the Zimbabwe for South Africa shortly after his detention amid allegations that he had lied about his detention. At the time, he reported for Zimbabwe's Financial Gazette and The Independent (UK), for which he began to work around 2000. In 2005, the ZANU-PF party issued a list of traitors that included Basildon Peta's name. After fleeing to South Africa in 2002, Peta returned to Zimbabwe in 2010 and wrote about his reactions. These two newspapers are the main publications in Lesotho and are also distributed to a large Basotho audience in South Africa. The masthead of the Lesotho Times reads: "News without fear or favour."

His editor for the two papers Darlington Majonga left in 2011 to establish another English-language newspaper called the Free State Times with regional coverage.

Lawsuits When Basildon Peta worked for Modus Publications and wrote for Financial Gazette, Christopher Mushowe, principal director in Robert Mugabe's office, attempted to sue him for implicating him in corruption. Mushowe was a member Mugabe's party, Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front. The article that Peta wrote was about whether Mushowe deserved a passing grade from the University of Zimbabwe. The lawsuit against Peta failed.

Awards 1994 – MISA Press Freedom Award. The Media Institute of Southern Africa awarded Peta for his strong will during a week of imprisonment and his tough reporting on the government Zimbabwe afterward. Basildon Peta, "Mugabe party 'fears the hand of Lucifer'," New Zealand Herald, 10 June 2001. Basildon Peta, "Mbeki lied to Bush over Mugabe talks, says opposition," New Zealand Herald, 10 July 2003. Basildon Peta, "Our fellow Africans will do nothing for us in our hour of need," The Independent (UK), 27 September 2007. Basildon Peta, "Lesotho has lost its way," Daily News, 7 May 2012.