
When MultiChoice Group, Africa’s biggest pay‑TV operator, announced a sweeping DStv revamp, the industry felt the tremor. Byron du Plessis, CEO of MultiChoice South Africa told Broadband TV News on July 11, 2025 that the company is scrambling to stop a tide of cancellations that has cost it more than a million subscribers across the continent in just the past year.
Headquartered in Randburg, South Africa, MultiChoice’s flagship satellite service, DStv, has seen its subscriber base fall from 7.6 million to 7.0 million in South Africa alone, while the Rest‑of‑Africa segment slipped from 8.1 million to 7.5 million, according to data from Tech Moonshot on July 28, 2025. Over the previous twelve months the loss was even steeper – 1.6 million customers vanished, roughly half of those from the South African market.
Why the shake‑up now?
The timing is no accident. In an exclusive interview with TechCentral on July 10, 2025, du Plessis explained that MultiChoice has not fundamentally altered its packaging or go‑to‑market strategy in twelve years. "The market has evolved; streaming has reshaped how people watch general entertainment and international content," he said. He added that sports rights are increasingly sold directly to broadcasters and that global rivals have already shifted to à‑la‑carte models.
Just weeks earlier, Calvo Mawela, CEO of MultiChoice Group hinted at an accelerated probe into unbundling SuperSport from DStv – a move that could let viewers pay only for general entertainment without the costly sports package. The idea first surfaced in a June 12, 2025 TechCentral interview, where Mawela said the board was "examining whether a split could protect revenue while giving consumers choice."
What the overhaul could look like
Du Plessis said the company is now in the customer‑research phase of a six‑month project that will map out new bouquet configurations. Early testing suggests three possible pathways:
- Pure‑play entertainment packs – stripped of SuperSport, priced lower to lure younger households.
- Modular sports add‑ons – allowing subscribers to cherry‑pick the leagues they care about, similar to a Netflix‑style menu.
- Hybrid bundles – a middle ground that keeps a curated selection of premium sports but reduces the overall price point.
All options must prove they can generate both revenue and profit growth, a strict condition du Plessis emphasized. "We will not implement anything that erodes the financial picture further," he warned.
Reactions from the market
Industry analysts are watching closely. Media analyst Thandiwe Ndlovu of MediaScope argues that the unbundling could be a "make‑or‑break" moment. "If MultiChoice can decouple SuperSport profitably, it will set a precedent for the whole African pay‑TV landscape," she notes.
Competitors such as StarTimes have already rolled out cheaper, sport‑focused bundles in Kenya and Nigeria, putting additional pressure on MultiChoice to innovate quickly.
Impact on South African households
For the average South African family, the changes could mean more affordable access to international series and local dramas, the genres that have traditionally driven DStv subscriptions. The company already lifted the simultaneous‑stream limit on its DStv Stream app from one to two in April 2025, a small but welcome tweak for multi‑device households.
There’s also a legal‑angle. On October 6, 2025, MultiChoice launched the "DStv ZIMnandi" anti‑piracy campaign in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The effort, aimed at curbing illegal sharing of South African DStv accounts, offers fee waivers and new payment methods such as EcoCash and Mukuru. While not directly tied to the revamp, the campaign signals the group’s broader attempt to shore up revenue streams across Southern Africa.
What comes next?
The research phase should wrap up by early 2026, after which the findings will feed into a board‑level decision. If the board signs off, the new packaging could roll out in the second half of 2026, giving the market enough time to adjust pricing, marketing, and distribution.
Du Plessis is confident the company can reverse the decline. "This is a thrilling opportunity," he said, noting that MultiChoice has not launched a brand‑new content offering in years. He added that any successful restructure would need to win back not only lost subscribers but also attract the digitally native generation that now prefers streaming over satellite.
Background: DStv’s twelve‑year status‑quo
When DStv launched in 1995, it quickly became the go‑to destination for premium sport, Hollywood blockbusters, and locally produced dramas. Over the next two decades, the service grew to dominate African households, especially in South Africa where it reached a peak of 8.3 million subscribers in 2019.
However, the last twelve years have seen little change in the bundle architecture. While competitors introduced flexible tiers and streaming‑only plans, DStv kept the same three‑tier structure – Premium, Compact, and Access – each bundling a fixed set of channels at a fixed price. The model, once a source of strength, now looks rigid in a world where users expect to pick and choose. The rise of Netflix, Amazon Prime, and local streaming players like Showmax has shaved away DStv’s share of the entertainment pie.
MultiChoice’s recent upgrades – more streams on DStv Stream, the ZIMnandi anti‑piracy push, and promotional "Step Up" campaigns in Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, and Zimbabwe – are all attempts to plug the gaps. Yet the subscriber erosion suggests those measures are not enough without a fundamental revamp.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will the unbundling of SuperSport affect sports fans?
Fans could end up paying only for the sports they watch, rather than a blanket package that includes many unused leagues. If MultiChoice adopts a modular add‑on model, a rugby fan might add just the Rugby World Cup channels, while a soccer enthusiast would pick the Premier League bundle. Prices are expected to be lower than the current all‑inclusive SuperSport plan, but the exact rates are still under review.
What timeline can households expect for the new DStv packages?
The customer‑research phase runs through the first half of 2026. After that, the board will decide on the final structure. If approved, a phased rollout is likely in the second half of 2026, giving existing subscribers a window to switch or upgrade before the old bundles are retired.
Will the revamp bring lower prices for younger viewers?
That’s the goal. By stripping out high‑cost sports channels from the base entertainment pack, MultiChoice hopes to launch a leaner, cheaper offering that appeals to millennials and Gen‑Z users who mainly stream series and movies. Exact pricing details haven’t been released yet, but analysts expect a 10‑15 % discount compared with current entry‑level bundles.
How does the anti‑piracy campaign in Zimbabwe tie into the DStv overhaul?
Both initiatives aim to protect revenue. The ZIMnandi campaign targets illegal usage of South African DStv accounts, encouraging users to migrate to legal Zimbabwean subscriptions. By reducing revenue leakage, MultiChoice hopes to have a healthier financial base to support the costly packaging redesign.
What could happen if the board rejects the proposed changes?
If the board decides the new models won’t meet profitability targets, MultiChoice may stick with the status quo, risking further subscriber decline. In that scenario, the company could look to more aggressive price cuts, deeper streaming partnerships, or even consider selling off regional assets to stabilize cash flow.
The DStv revamp feels like a quiet meditation on change; MultiChoice is finally listening to the shifting tides of how African viewers consume content. By offering modular sports add‑ons, they may restore a sense of agency to households that felt trapped by legacy bundles. It also signals a broader cultural shift toward on‑demand experiences rather than one‑size‑fits‑all packages. If the research phase respects regional preferences, the long‑term impact could be far more than a simple subscriber bump. In the end, adaptation is the only path to relevance.