Massive backlash trails DStv's accidental broadcast of Mandela’s obituary

Viewers were left shocked and outraged on Tuesday night when they tuned in to the Universal Channel (DStv 117) on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV and saw clips titled "Remembering Madiba 1918-2013," being aired over and over again.

Some assumed the former president had passed away.

When they realised Mandela was still alive they took to Twitter to vent their anger.

Malcolm Lennox tweeted to the DSTV satellite provider: "Running an ad "remembering Madiba" saying that he passed away in 2013 is in supreme bad taste. Shame on you!!!!!! Pull and apologise."

He added: "It made my heart stop when I saw it."

A brief government statement today said Mr Mandela "continues to respond satisfactorily to treatment."

A spokesman for Universal Networks, a division of American media conglomerate NBCUniversal, said: 

"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 broadcast last night (Tuesday 2nd April) 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."

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