by Thinus Ferreira
Frustrated MultiChoice executives, sitting in Randburg in Johannesburg and who used to have final approval on decisions, say they're fearful about the future and their futures, after new owner Canal+ swooped in and moved the final decision-making function to Canal+'s own executives in Paris.
In a new report by Africa Intelligence, MultiChoice executives are quoted as saying they're frustrated and angry about having been sidelined in the decision-making process regarding content and other decisions since Canal+ acquired MultiChoice in September 2025.
According to the report, several MultiChoice executives who used to be in the loop, explained that they were not even so much as consulted recently before the publication of Canal+'s financial results for 2025 that now includes MultiChoice.
Angry MultiChoice executives are blaming Maxime Saada, Canal+ CEO, and David Mignot, Canal+ Africa managing director, for the way that things inside MultiChoice have deteriorated and broken down.
Meanwhile discontent under MultiChoice executives are growing, as well as producers and content creators, with MultiChoice staff telling producers that projects, budgets and approvals are all delayed and stacking up at Canal+ headquarters in Paris where Canal+ either can't or won't make decisions and do final sign-offs.
According to Africa Intelligence, the new Canal+ Africa management structure includes the former MultiChoice CEO, Calvo Mawela who has been kept on as Canal+ Africa president; Hennie Visser as director of Africa operations, and Byron du Plessis who was MultiChoice SA CEO, as a regional manager.
Aziz Diallo now oversees French-speaking Africa, Kemi Omotosho is now responsible for Nigeria, Retief Tromp is looking after English-speaking countries outside of South Africa, while Glauco Ferreira is overseeing the Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa.
Fuming MultiChoice and SuperSport executives say their hands are tied and they can no longer make decisions, are isolated and have no final say with anything anymore, and have to send decisions to Paris and then wait approval from there.
Not only are these executives frustrated, they're also wondering about their futures within what used to be MultiChoice or Canal+ Africa going forward.
Canal+ is shuttering MultiChoice's loss-making streamer Showmax by 30 April, and while neither staff involved with Showmax, or within MultiChoice can he retrenched, Canal+ is now going to offer voluntary severance packages to try and get rid of workers who might want out.
According to the agreement Canal+ signed with South Africa's Competition Commission, no MultiChoice workers can be retrenched for a period of three years.
What is however happening, is that people who work for service providers and production companies making local content for DStv channels like M-Net, kykNET, Mzansi Magic and Africa Magic are losing jobs.
This is because the volume of content that MultiChoice used to commission for these channels are decreasing due to Canal+'s cost-cutting, and because of the end of Showmax as a separate platform.
