Showmax, Once Africa's Netflix Hope, Shuts Down After Canal+ Takeover

Key facts

• Showmax launched on 19 August 2015 with 11,000 hours of content at R99/month.
• Netflix arrived in South Africa five months later, in January 2016.
• Showmax Pro launched in 2020 at R449/month, bundling sports from SuperSport.
• In March 2023, MultiChoice sold 30% of Showmax to Comcast's NBCUniversal and Sky for Peacock technology and content deals.
• Canal+ took control of MultiChoice in September 2025.
• Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada called Showmax 'not a commercial success' in January 2026.
• MultiChoice CEO David Mignot said the platform 'can't continue' in February 2026.
• Showmax was officially discontinued on 5 March 2026.

A Homegrown Challenger Fades to Black

Showmax, the Johannesburg-based streaming service that once carried Naspers's ambition to build a globally competitive rival to Netflix, will be switched off tonight. Launched on 19 August 2015, it arrived with 11,000 hours of content, a seven-day free trial and a flat R99 monthly fee for unlimited access. At that time, Netflix had not yet entered South Africa; it would arrive five months later, in January 2016. The service was deliberately incubated outside MultiChoice, under former DStv Digital Media chief John Kotsaftis, to foster startup-style innovation. 'We think our content selection is broader,' Kotsaftis told TechCentral on launch day. 'Our local content selection is an order of magnitude bigger than anything Netflix has done elsewhere in the world.' It was a pre-emption play: Naspers had seen Reed Hastings signal a 200-country expansion in January 2015 and decided it would not cede home turf without a fight.

The Rise and Pivot to Sports

Showmax's early years were marked by growth, but the landscape shifted. Kotsaftis left for Fox Networks in 2018, and the standalone unit was folded back into MultiChoice. The product began chasing what DStv had always relied on: sport. In 2020, Showmax Pro launched at R449 per month, bundling SuperSport-fed Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and PSL games with the existing entertainment library. The base tier remained at R99. The maths was stretched but plausible. What followed broke the formula. In March 2023, MultiChoice handed 30% of Showmax to Comcast's NBCUniversal and Sky in exchange for Peacock's streaming technology and a content pipeline from HBO, Warner Bros, Sony and others. The platform was rebuilt from the ground up, aiming to compete more aggressively with global rivals.

Canal+ Takeover and Swift Verdict

When Canal+ took control of MultiChoice in September 2025, the verdict was swift. In January 2026, group CEO Maxime Saada called Showmax 'not a commercial success'. In February, MultiChoice CEO David Mignot told TechCentral the platform 'can't continue'. 'Financially speaking, business-wise speaking, the thing is not flying,' he said. The 5 March announcement that Showmax would be discontinued was a formality. Canal+'s 2025 results, days later, branded the platform an 'expensive failure'. The closure marks the end of a bold experiment. Showmax in 2015 was the first serious attempt by a South African company to build a streaming service that could stand on its own against global giants – not as a regional reseller, not as a niche play, but as a homegrown product that understood its market better than any imported alternative could.

What Is Lost: The Idea of African Streaming Independence

What is being lost is the idea. Showmax nearly worked. Then it tried to become something bigger, raised the stakes, swung wildly – and lost. The platform's trajectory illustrates the immense difficulty of competing in a market dominated by deep-pocketed global players. Despite a strong start and a loyal user base, the financial pressures proved insurmountable. Showmax's content, including its original productions, will find a new home on DStv Stream, MultiChoice's remaining streaming service. But the closure leaves a void in the African streaming landscape, where local players struggle to survive against the scale of Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+.

The Legacy and Lessons for African Tech

Showmax's story is a cautionary tale for African tech companies aiming to compete globally. It demonstrated that local knowledge and content can provide an initial edge, but sustaining that advantage requires massive investment and strategic agility. The partnership with NBCUniversal and Sky was an attempt to gain scale, but it ultimately diluted the homegrown identity that made Showmax unique. For South Africa, the shutdown represents a loss of digital sovereignty in entertainment. The country now relies on foreign-owned platforms for streaming, echoing broader trends in tech where local innovation is absorbed or extinguished by global giants. The question remains: can another African challenger rise, or will the continent remain a consumer of imported services?

What Comes Next for Subscribers and the Industry

Existing Showmax subscribers will be migrated to DStv Stream, which offers a similar range of content. The transition is expected to be seamless, but the closure eliminates a lower-cost option for cord-cutters. Showmax's R99 base tier was one of the most affordable streaming services in South Africa, and its loss may push some users back to piracy or to more expensive alternatives. The broader streaming market in Africa continues to grow, but the failure of a homegrown champion underscores the challenges. Canal+ will focus on its own streaming service, while MultiChoice's DStv Stream becomes the primary offering. The dream of an African Netflix, born in Johannesburg, has ended – but its brief existence showed what was possible.

The bottom line

• Showmax launched in August 2015 as a Netflix pre-emption play, offering local content at R99/month.
• The service pivoted to sports with Showmax Pro in 2020, but financial sustainability remained elusive.
• In 2023, MultiChoice sold a 30% stake to NBCUniversal and Sky for technology and content, but the partnership did not turn the tide.
• Canal+ took over MultiChoice in September 2025 and quickly deemed Showmax an 'expensive failure'.
• The closure was announced on 5 March 2026, with content moving to DStv Stream.
• Showmax's demise highlights the difficulty of competing with global streaming giants in Africa.