There was a mix of emotions when DStv-pay-TV made a “mistake” on their channel by causing momentary panic on Tuesday night by broadcasting a documentary whose title implied that Dr Nelson Mandela had died. Their documentary obituary titled “Remembering Madiba 1918-2013″ was advertised on (DStv) Universal Channel 117.
Some users of microblogging site Twitter were also irritated by the glitch.
One user asked if it was true that Madiba had passed on. Using the Twitter handle @Londzz_M, she tweeted: “Just saw a clip on universal channel saying mandela is dead, iqiniso vele?”
Jonty Lewis, tweeting as @Tweeks, said: “Universal channel already showing Mandela 1920-2013…He not even passed yet…. Tasteless DStv”.
@Chelimo_: asked : “I’m confused. Doesn’t year – year mean someones died?”.
@R_Mutuse tweeted: “Universal channel on DStv showing an ad of Mandela 1920-2013. Sad!!”
Twitter user @rejoicedan said: “Shame on all of You, Allow the Man to die, i know everyone is at the edge of their seat to hear the news of his Death.Shame”
The obituary featured images of Madiba and other relevant photos. The media reports say it featured facts about Mandela’s life. It is believed the mini obituary aired at least twice. This follows shortly after Mandela has been in hospital since before the Easter Weekend and is receiving treatment for pneumonia.
The presidency spokesman, Mac Maharaj asked Multichoice to remove the ad. He said the mistake was “unfortunate” and “insensitive to the Mandela family and to the nation”.
Mandela was admitted to a Pretoria hospital on Wednesday midnight. It was his third trip to a hospital since December last year, when he was treated for a lung infection and also had a procedure to remove gallstones.
Earlier in March, he spent a night in a hospital for what officials said was a scheduled medical test. The TV station has since released an apology. ANC Women’s League spokeswoman, Troy Martens, expressed disgust at the promo advert. Martens was still unsure whether it had been a mistake Universal Channel on MultiChoice’s DStv erroneously broadcast an “obituary” of Remembering Madiba – who is very much alive.
“It was highly irresponsible and disrespectful to the Mandela family,” she explained. Maharaj said Mandela has been responding well to treatment. “We have to assume things are continuing as normal. Our thoughts remain with him and his family,” he concluded.
On Saturday the presidency office said Mandela was breathing without difficulty after having a procedure to clear fluid in his lung area. “Universal Networks wishes to offer a sincere and heartfelt apology for the airing of such an announcement for Nelson Mandela which was broadcast last night on the Universal Channel due to a technical error by our team. “We unreservedly apologise to the Mandela family, to Universal Channel viewers and to DStv subscribers for the alarm and offense caused by this error. Our thoughts and best wishes are with Madiba and his family for a speedy and full recovery,” said Universal Networks International.
Multichoice spokeswoman, Marietjie Groenewald shifted the blame on Universal by saying the mistake was the fault of the broadcaster and not of DStv.
Mandela became South Africa’s first black president in 1994 after elections were held, bringing an end to the system of white racist rule known as apartheid. After his release from prison in 1990, Mandela was widely credited with averting even greater bloodshed by helping the country in the transition to democratic rule.
At the time of this writing, Mandela was still in hospital. The presidency released a statement saying he was responding positively to treatment and his condition was much better.