 The decision led to a public campaign to call for his reinstatementand the handling by the SABC led to complaints to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa.The incident was seen as symptomatic of a public broadcaster voluntarily transforming itself into a state propaganda apparatus.Rumours that then-President Thabo Mbeki was a philanderer
were controversially brought to light by a comment Du Preez made on a national radio show in 2001.