DStv under siege in South Africa

Pervasive piracy has emerged as an existential threat to DStv in South Africa, undermining the pay-TV service’s exclusive rights.

While MultiChoice has made strides in reducing pirates’ ability to use its content, it does not have control over other broadcasters, presenting a notable threat.

This was explained by MultiChoice South Africa CEO Willington Ngwepe at a media event in Randburg, Johannesburg, on Monday, 7 September.

At the same event, Canal+ Africa’s PayTV South Africa CEO, Byron du Plessis, described piracy as a “big threat” to the company.

Ngwepe echoed this comment, calling the pervasive piracy of licensed DStv content, especially sports content, an “existential threat” to the business.

“And it’s not just a threat to us, it’s a threat to all broadcasters, including streaming platforms,” he said.

Based on MultiChoice’s research, 25% of South Africans have watched pirated services, which gives an indication of how pervasive the problem is in DStv’s largest and most lucrative market.

In a press release on 20 August 2026, MultiChoice explained that the piracy industry has evolved as technology has advanced.

“Consumers can now encounter illegal streaming services that look and operate much like legitimate platforms,” the company said. 

“Some offer subscriptions, customer support and access to premium films, series and live sport.” 

It explained that pirate IPTV services can package thousands of channels and programmes into a single unauthorised service.

At the same time, operators can move quickly between websites, domains, and servers when enforcement action is taken, making it difficult to shut down an operator at the source.

However, Ngwepe said the company has made headway in pushing back against this threat, with its technology business, Irdeto.

Irdeto is a global digital platform cybersecurity company that has developed a multi-layered approach to fighting piracy.

Irdeto’s approach includes online piracy detection, forensic watermarking, site blocking, payment disruption, and investigations.

Ngwepe said MultiChoice and Irdeto are making inroads to protect their content from piracy. However, this is not enough to stem the rising tide.

An existential threat to MultiChoice

DStv’s strength, and the main reason customers subscribe to the service, is its original and exclusive content, particularly its exclusive broadcasting rights for certain sports fixtures.

Piracy undermines this strength, and Ngwepe explained that it is not enough for the company to protect its content from theft.

“The reality is that even if the pirates don’t get the content from us, there is another broadcaster somewhere else in the world who may not necessarily have the same technology, solutions, and security,” he explained.

“That pirated content will come here, and it undermines our exclusive rights.” 

Ngwepe argued that the only sustainable solution is for the government and regulators to introduce a more robust regulatory framework.

This framework, he said, should allow broadcasters like DStv to block access to the piracy sites.

ISP blocking, a measure that restricts access to specific websites, domains, or IP addresses associated with illegal activity, has been a core tenet of DStv’s fight against piracy.

In the context of content piracy, ISP blocking means preventing users from accessing identified pirate websites or streaming services.

Notably, ISP blocking does not remove the pirated content, but restricts the route through which users can access it.

The ability to do this more freely is what MultiChoice is pursuing, with Ngwepe saying this is what the company’s current engagements with ICASA and other government authorities are about.

MultiChoice explained in its press release that any blocking regime needs to operate within a clear legal and regulatory framework.

This framework should include appropriate oversight and safeguards to prevent legitimate services or lawful internet use from being unnecessarily affected.

MultiChoice has also been driving Memorandums of Understanding with hosting providers, ensuring it can isolate illicit infrastructure without impacting lawful internet use.