The embarrassed SABC is apologising for referring to Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as "mini-Zuma" on the public broadcaster's SABC News (DStv 404) TV channel carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform and says SABC News is putting measures "in place to prevent further occurences".
Nkosazana is the ex-wife of South African president Jacob Zuma and a former chairperson of the African Union Commission, with aspirations to become the next president of the ANC and through that the next president of South Africa.
In the bottom-third descriptor the SABC on Sunday night at 20:00 identified Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as "mini-Zuma" on SABC News.
"The mistake ran for only one bulletin and was immediately noticed and corrected‚" Peter Ndoro, SABC News co-anchor told viewers.
"The SABC would like to sincerely apologise to the former AU commission chair for the error‚" Francis Herd, SABC News co-anchor said.
The acting GE of News has addressed staff on the matter. Measures are being put in place to prevent further occurrences."
The SABC didn't specify what these measures are on why these measures are only being put in place now to prevent more on-air mistakes.
It's not just SABC News that has problems with its on-air descriptor.
While ANN7 (DStv 405) makes multiple mistakes weekly, even eNCA (DStv 403) had several typos and very noticeable and embarrassing mistakes the past week, struggling to get the few words the channel places on-screen, correct.
