MultiChoice To Shut Down Streaming Platform Showmax After 11 Years

MultiChoice to Shut Down Showmax After 11 Years

MultiChoice has announced that it will discontinue its streaming platform, Showmax, after more than a decade of operation.

Launched in 2015 in South Africa, Showmax quickly expanded across the African continent, offering subscribers a wide range of entertainment including movies, series, documentaries, and live sports.

The service was designed to compete with global streaming giants while catering to the unique demands of African audiences.

The decision to shut down Showmax was communicated directly to subscribers via email, in which the company explained that the move followed a comprehensive review by the Showmax Board.

MultiChoice emphasized that the closure is part of a broader strategy to strengthen its digital offerings and ensure long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive streaming environment.

Importantly, subscribers were assured that there would be no immediate disruption to their current service, and that further details, including timelines and transition plans, would be shared well in advance.

This development comes against the backdrop of significant corporate restructuring. In 2025, Canal+, the French media powerhouse and parent company of StudioCanal, received approval to acquire MultiChoice, Africa’s largest pay-TV group, which includes DStv and GOtv.

The acquisition involved a mandatory cash offer of ZAR 125 ($7.11) per share for all outstanding ordinary shares of MultiChoice. Regulatory approval was contingent on commitments to enhance participation of historically disadvantaged persons and small enterprises in South Africa’s audiovisual sector, as well as sustained investment in local entertainment and sports programming.

The structural arrangement unveiled earlier this year ensures compliance with South Africa’s Electronic Communications Act, requiring the separation of MultiChoice’s South African broadcasting licensee into an independent, majority-owned entity by historically disadvantaged persons.

This restructuring underscores the broader transformation agenda within the media landscape in South Africa, while also signaling Canal+’s intent to consolidate its influence across Africa’s pay-TV and streaming markets.

Showmax’s closure marks the end of an ambitious chapter in African streaming history. While the platform succeeded in carving out a niche and expanding rapidly, the intensifying competition from global players and the strategic priorities of its parent company have ultimately led to its discontinuation.

For subscribers, the immediate future remains unchanged, but the long-term trajectory points toward a redefined digital entertainment ecosystem under Canal+ and MultiChoice’s evolving partnership.