MultiChoice cracking down on piracy in South Africa
MultiChoice, owner of DStv and Showmax, has ramped up efforts to combat content piracy in South Africa, which ranks just behind Kenya in online piracy site visits . According to Enders Analysis, the Premier League loses around £1 million per match, F1 loses about $45 million per race weekend, and combined losses in UFC, NFL, and NBA reach approximately $28 billion annually . MultiChoice produced 2,763 hours of local content in 2024 (50% of its entertainment budget), threatened by piracy’s impact on jobs and cultural storytelling. They warn: “Piracy doesn’t just steal money. It takes food off tables. It silences African voices…” .
To fight back, MultiChoice’s anti‑piracy unit Irdeto uses AI-driven detection, watermarking, and coordinated law-enforcement raids. These include arrests over illegal IPTV services like Waka TV and police involvement in piracy rings . South Africans caught face up to R2 million in fines and 10 years’ imprisonment . Irdeto also partners with platforms like Coinbase to block piracy funding via cryptocurrency . Social media piracy remains a major vector, and MultiChoice stresses the need for updated legal frameworks—in place since 2024—to protect the creative ecosystem .
