South African president Jacob Zuma announced the news of Nelson Mandela's death to a stunned South Africa on the SABC late on Thursday night.
The SABC immediately used the SABC's three TV stations, SABC1, SABC2, SABC3 as well as the SABC's public radio stations to carry Jacob Zuma's message, telling the world that Nelson Mandela has died at the age of 95 and that South Africa has "lost a father".
SABC television instantly started special Nelson Mandela memorial coverage running on SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3.
M-Net turned the M-Net channel logo marker on all M-Net channels on DStv to black and the SuperSport logo on all SuperSport channels on DStv likewise turned to black in mourning.
Nelson Mandela, who became South Africa's first black president and first democratically elected South African president in 1994, died peacefully at his Houghton home Thursday night at 20:50.
He was hospitalised on 8 June for a lung infection following a history of recurring health issues. Nelson Mandela's family began gathering at his Johannesburg home earlier today.
"Fellow South Africans, our beloved Nelson Rohlihla Mandela, the founding president of our democratic nation, has departed," president Jacob Zuma, dressed in black, told South Africa on all SABC channels in a national television and radio address just after 23:30.
""Our people have lost a father. Although we knew this day was going to come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss. His tireless struggle for freedom earned him the respect of the world. His humility, passion and humanity, earned him their love."
SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 instantly went with wall-to-wall blanket rolling coverage, with live coverage from Houghton at midnight, as well as several pre-packaged inserts.
SABC News correspondent Njanji Chauke was reporting from Nelson Mandela's Houghton home on Thursday night and into the early hours of Friday morning.
Lynette Francis was anchoring in the early hours of Friday morning on SABC News, simulcast on SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3.
The SABC has deployed its news teams to various places across South Africa as the nation mourns the death of an icon.
With the late night, breaking news, Sally Burdett, completely dressed in black, is anchoring and emoting for eNCA (DStv 403)
e.tv pre-empted that channel's entire programming and started to simulcast the eNCA news channel feed from late Thursday night into the early hours of Friday morning as both channels went with rolling coverage.
eNCA correspondent Cathy Mohlahlana was reporting from the Houghton home on Thursday night and into the early hours of Friday morning.
e.tv and eNCA was first of the broadcasters to publicly express condolences over the passing of Nelson Mandela.
On CNN International (DStv 401) Wolf Blitzer is anchoring with commentary and reports from Christiane Amanpour, Fahreed Zakaria, and Robyn Curnow anchoring from South Africa with insight and analysis.
On Sky News (DStv 402) Alex Crawford is reporting from Nelson Mandela's Houghton home.
SuperSport 1 (DStv 201) and SuperSport 3 (DStv 203) on MultiChoice's DStv pre-empted planned coverage and immediately switched to a special Nelson Mandela tribute from South Africa's sports stars reflecting on Nelson Mandela's legacy.
