Showmax Shuts Down: But Its Biggest African Hits Aren’t Disappearing.
The streaming landscape in South Africa is set for a major shake-up following the acquisition of MultiChoice by Canal+. As part of the transition, it has been officially confirmed that the streaming platform Showmax will shut down at the end of April.
The announcement initially sparked concern across the local film and television industry, since Showmax had funded and hosted a large number of African productions, including several original titles created in partnership with local filmmakers.
With the shutdown approaching, many viewers feared that some of these homegrown shows could vanish from streaming platforms entirely. While certain international titles — including productions from Warner Bros. — remain available on services like Prime Video, the fate of several African productions was uncertain.
However, there is some relief for fans. MultiChoice has now confirmed that a number of Showmax originals will find a new home on DStv Stream once Showmax officially shuts down on April 30. Subscribers were informed through emails and updates on the official DStv website that the content migration is already underway.
Launched in August 2023, DStv Stream offers viewers the ability to watch live television channels as well as on-demand entertainment from their favourite DStv programming.
According to Nomsa Philiso, CEO of General Entertainment at MultiChoice, Showmax played a major role in opening the door for globally competitive African storytelling. She highlighted that many popular series were developed through collaboration between the company’s content teams and producers from across Africa.
Among the titles set to move to DStv Stream are well-known shows such as The Wife, Youngins, Law, Love and Betrayal, Devilsdorp, Adulting, Wura, Single Kiasi, Die Kantoor, and Koek.
Several international titles that were previously exclusive to Showmax in South Africa are also expected to appear on the platform. These include entries from The Real Housewives franchise, as well as Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, The Burbs, and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins.
Willington Ngwepe, CEO of MultiChoice South Africa, said the shift is part of a broader plan to bring entertainment into one unified platform. According to him, combining Showmax Originals, on-demand viewing and live television under DStv Stream reflects how audiences increasingly prefer to consume their content.
While the closure of Showmax marks the end of an era for the platform, MultiChoice says its commitment to developing and promoting African stories remains unchanged.
