MultiChoice will shut down four DStv channels next month, including three dedicated to local content, while introducing four revamped SuperSport channels as part of a broader restructuring of its television offering.
The pay-TV operator announced that M-Net Movies 1, KykNet Lekker, Mzansi Bioskop and Mzansi Music will cease broadcasting on 16 September. At the same time, from 19 August, the company will roll out an expanded and renamed SuperSport line-up aimed at strengthening its sports coverage.
The changes come despite commitments made by Canal+, MultiChoice’s parent company, to support local content production as part of the conditions attached to its acquisition of the broadcaster.
In a statement, MultiChoice said the channel changes reflect evolving audience preferences.
”As viewing habits continue to change, MultiChoice is refining the DStv channel line-up to match. Rather than spreading similar content across many channels, we’re concentrating on fewer, stronger channels, giving subscribers a cleaner, easier-to-navigate line-up and a better viewing experience overall,” the company said.
Under the new sports arrangement, SuperSport Football Plus will become the home of premium football coverage, including selected UEFA Champions League matches. SuperSport Africa will focus on South African and continental sporting events, while SuperSport KickOff will broadcast overflow football fixtures. A new SuperSport Extra 2 channel will provide additional capacity when multiple major sporting events are held simultaneously.
The closure of three local-content channels has drawn attention because of Canal+’s pledges to invest in African programming. Mzansi Bioskop has served as a platform for South African films and emerging filmmakers, Mzansi Music has showcased local music programming, while KykNet Lekker has catered primarily to Afrikaans-speaking viewers on DStv’s entry-level Access package.
Canal+’s acquisition of MultiChoice in 2025 included commitments to continue investing in local content and support small black-owned suppliers, with the Competition Commission monitoring compliance.
Canal+ Africa Chief Executive Officer David Mignot previously described reducing investment in local content as “a strategically huge mistake” and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to invest about €100 million to accelerate local content production.
The latest channel closures continue a broader cost-cutting strategy across the business. Showmax was discontinued in April, with its content integrated into DStv Stream after Canal+ acquired the streaming platform’s minority shareholder. Earlier this year, BET Africa, MTV Base, CBS Reality and CBS Justice were also removed from the DStv platform, while sponsorships of arts and film festivals were discontinued.
Canal+ is targeting more than €400 million in annual cost savings by 2030 as it seeks to streamline operations.
The company’s latest programming decisions underline its continued focus on sport, widely regarded as DStv’s strongest competitive advantage. Premium sports broadcasting remains a key driver of subscriber retention, prompting increased investment in SuperSport while entertainment offerings are reduced.
Earlier this year, MultiChoice also kept DStv subscription prices unchanged, ending a long-standing pattern of annual price increases in a bid to stabilise the business and attract subscribers back to the platform.
