The Universal Channel (DStv 117) jumped the gun by mistakenly broadcasting “Remembering Madiba”, an obituary for Nelson Mandela, last night.
Universal Networks International offered their apologies through a statement and blamed the premature broadcasting on a “technical error”.
Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, is still alive and is in a Pretoria hospital for treatment of a lung infection, with doctors saying he is making progress.
Many viewers were shocked when the obituary was broadcast, but Universal said, though the broadcast was premature, all broadcasters have such programming ready.
“Like any international broadcaster, Universal Networks holds obituaries ready for every major statesman in the world,” said the broadcaster.
“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.”
Furthermore Universal Networks said they “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”.
