DStv under attack

DStv is under siege, with more affordable alternatives, including Amazon Prime for R33 per month, taking market share from the once-dominant service in South Africa.

DStv has been losing subscribers for years, a trend which has been accelerating across all market segments.

The last segmented subscriber data came from MultiChoice’s integrated annual report for the year ended 31 March 2025.

It showed that DStv lost 589,000 subscribers in South Africa, with big losses across its premium, middle-market, and mass-market segments.

MultiChoice blamed a cost-of-living crisis, load shedding, high utility costs, and the tough economic environment for the poor performance.

However, the real reason is competition. Since Netflix launched in South Africa in January 2016, MultiChoice has struggled to retain DStv subscribers.

Many South Africans cut the cord and switched to more affordable streaming alternatives, especially with the rise of affordable, uncapped broadband.

Canal+, which acquired MultiChoice last year, said DStv has faced severe challenges over the past two years.

Its latest annual financial results showed that MultiChoice lost half a million subscribers in 2025, which affected its revenue and profit.

MultiChoice saw a 6% decline in revenues from €2,542 million in 2024 to €2,400 million in 2025, which followed a similar decline the previous year.

MultiChoice’s adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) declined by 14% from €185 million to €159 million over the last year.

To address the desperate situation, Canal+ implemented cost-cutting initiatives to mitigate the impact of declining revenues.

It also launched a R1.8 billion growth plan to stem the decline in DStv subscribers and make the service more attractive to new customers.

DStv under attack from many quarters

For years, DStv has struggled to compete effectively against Netflix, Disney+ and other streaming services. This was only the start.

In June 2026, Amazon Prime launched in South Africa. It includes access to a world-class streaming service, Prime Video.

Amazon Prime is available for free on a 30-day trial. A permanent membership costs R59 a month or R399 per year.

Prime Video is one of the biggest benefits. At R59 per month, or R33 per month on an annual package, it is much cheaper than DStv.

In another blow to DStv, Vodacom signed a deal with Amazon, giving many of its subscribers free access to Amazon Prime.

Vodacom’s RED Core, RED Flexi, and RED VIP customers will enjoy all the benefits of Amazon Prime.

Customers of the mobile operator who sign up for a Home Internet, Mobile Broadband, or Fibre plan will be eligible for Amazon Prime from August 2026 onwards.

DStv Stream’s most affordable package costs R99 per month, significantly more than the R59 per month for Amazon Prime.

Other DStv Stream packages, which offer better content, including Showmax Originals, are priced at R299 and R699 per month.

Considering that Amazon Prime members also get many additional benefits, it is an easy choice for anyone not looking for live rugby, cricket, or soccer.

For Vodacom subscribers who now get Amazon Prime for free, cutting the DStv cord is even easier.

Price is the biggest reason people cut the DStv cord, but it is unclear how MultiChoice can respond to the threat from Amazon Prime.

MultiChoice is under severe financial pressure, and cutting prices to R59 per month or even R33 per month on an annual package is highly unlikely.

This means it is likely to continue bleeding customers as households shift to more affordable streaming options, such as Prime Video through the Prime membership.

Piracy is increasing in South Africa

TV expert Thinus Ferreira said that the loss of premium content, including many major HBO and first-run Warner Bros. Discovery shows, drove people to piracy.

“M-Net and MultiChoice were quite vocal about piracy and asking people not to watch or access content in illegal ways,” he said.

“Canal+, MultiChoice, and M-Net are now driving DStv subscribers to piracy because content that used to be on DStv is no longer there.”

Ferreira said the French media giant behind MultiChoice, Canal+, was essentially dictating what South African customers can watch.

“I asked them why they no longer have the HBO content, and it’s because Canal+ didn’t want to sign the new contract extension with Warner Bros. Discovery,” he said.

“They gave me one of those corporate answers saying that the availability of individual series remains subject to ongoing studio licensing agreements.”

The problem for MultiChoice and DStv is that once people start to engage in piracy, they can get all the content they need for free.

It is then very easy for them to stop their DStv subscription and get whatever they require from pirate services.

In South Africa, where households are under financial pressure, it is challenging to convince them to resume paying for content.