Shock
and outrage have greeted Tuesday’s accidental airing of the death hoax of
revered South African former president, Nelson Mandela, fondly called Madiba.

The Universal Channel (shown on DStv channel 117) had aired a
programme ‘Remembering Nelson Mandela’, apparently from an already prepared
file on the global icon.

The channel on MultiChoice’s DStv pay-TV cable network platform
had accidentally aired the obituary to its millions of viewers who took to the
social networks to express their shock and grief. Mandela’s health had relapsed
last week following infection of his lung. But latest reports from the hospital
indicates that his condition is improving.

But realising its gaffe, the cable network has expressed its
dismay at the technical error, noting that it was a glitch and not intentional
as claimed in some quarters. It tendered apology.

The statement released by the Universal Networks International
which programmes the Universal Channel on DStv reads in part: “Like any
international broadcaster, Universal Networks holds obituaries ready for every
major statesman in the world.

“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 offence caused by this error. Our thoughts and best wishes are
with Madiba and his family for a speedy and full recovery.”
When contacted, DStv Head of Communications, Mr. Segun Fayose, said he would
send a mail to that effect to THISDAY.