DStv piracy clampdown
MultiChoice has partnered with the police to arrest numerous DStv piracy kingpins in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
On Friday, MultiChoice announced that a successful raid was conducted in Gauteng where a piracy suspect, Jurgen Johannes Potgieter, was arrested.
Potgieter has been detained and will appear at the Lenasia Magistrate Court. Equipment was also confiscated by the police, which will be analysed.
He allegedly sold login credentials and internet streaming pirate devices, which enabled illegal access to premium content.
These actions are in direct contravention of sections within the Cybercrime Act. Additionally, the suspect faces charges of money laundering.
This operation is part of a series of ongoing anti-piracy efforts following recent successful raids in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Frikkie Jonker, director of broadcast cybersecurity and anti-piracy at MultiChoice’s business unit Irdeto, provided further details.
He said this raid highlights our continuous efforts to dismantle illegal operations that are undermining the creative industry.
He commended the police’s professionalism, adding that more raids are imminent as we intensify their efforts to combat digital piracy.
Partners Against Piracy, an Africa-wide multi-stakeholder initiative, is working alongside local governments and prosecutors to actively address copyright infringement.
The initiative aims to strengthen government agencies to facilitate information sharing, enforce IP laws, and combat privacy.
Among these agencies are the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Unit and the South African Police Services’ Cybercrime Unit.
To cast a wider net for tracking copyright infringement activities, stakeholders are collaborating with IP rights holders such as MultiChoice and internet service providers.
Public awareness initiatives are also part of efforts to educate people on the ill effects of digital piracy on creators, industries and the economy.

The latest arrest followed news that MultiChoice had facilitated the arrest of two DStv piracy kingpins in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
At the end of May, the company announced that one of the key players in the Waka TV piracy network in Cape Town was arrested.
A week later, Multichoice announced the arrest of a suspect with alleged ties to the illegal sale of pirate internet streaming devices.
These piracy devices allowed individuals to access MultiChoice content, violating several legal statutes.
The suspect was arrested on 4 June 2024 by the Serious Commercial Crime Unit of the Hawks (Gauteng Province) on the following charges:
- Section 2 of the Cybercrime Act 19 of 2020 (unauthorized access to content)
- Sections 44 & 45 of the RICA Act 70 of 2002 (possession and sale of an infringing device)
- Section 27 of the Copyright Act 98 of 1978 (infringement of a rightsholder’s rights)
“The apprehended suspect managed several pirate customers and resellers, as well as illegally distributed live TV channels, including several DStv channels, movies, and series.
“The disruption caused by this raid is a significant blow to the illegal streaming industry in Africa,” Multichoice said.
MultiChoice explained that the acts of piracy range from illegal streaming to black-market digital piracy.
“These forms of copyright infringement undermine the efforts of content providers and the software industry,” it said.
Multichoice warned that these are “just the beginning of a series of planned operations against illegal streaming outlets across South Africa”.
It warned that subscribers to these services are also in the crosshairs and face penalties and fines for purchasing illegal streams.
“MultiChoice is actively working with the South African Police Services as investigations continue into the thousands of individuals connected to these pirate networks,” it said.
“Resellers supporting these illegal operations are also under investigation. This collaborative effort aims to dismantle the entire network and bring all perpetrators to justice.”
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