Devi Sankaree Govender bows out of The Devi Show on e.tv after 6 years: 'Asking questions - tough ones - are always going to be in my DNA'

by Thinus Ferreira

If you're a crook you fear her, but the beloved journalist and South African treasure Devi Sankaree Govender is closing The Devi Show on e.tv, with this coming Sunday's episode, which will be the last for the current affairs show after 6 years and hundreds of episodes.

The intrepid anchor and reporter Devi Sankaree Govender long ago already earned legendary status on South African television on M-Net's Carte Blanche and in the public consciousness for her fearless approach of confronting wrongdoing - a presence and persona that further expanded when she went to the free-to-air e.tv broadcaster to start The Devi Show.

With The Devi Show she further perfectly blended absolutely fearless investigative journalism, high-stakes accountability and consumer journalism with divine patience and a trademark sense of humour - hunting down scammers, corrupt and lazy government officials, white-collar criminals, dodgy sales and repair people and even a cake-bake fake.

The Devi Show has remained compelling local South African television, with Devi Sankaree Govender's flinch-free confrontations beloved by viewers who trust her.

Viewers delight in her on-location accountability-seeking interactions, whether exposing disbarred lawyers taking upfront fees, shady estate agents, bad funeral parlours, car repair nutjobs, and with everyone from government lackeys to scammers all getting exposed through the programme's high-impact, relatable journalism.

The show and Devi Sankaree Govender have won multiple prestigious awards since the show launched in 2020, with the production that has been widely recognised for excellence in investigative journalism, consumer advocacy, and broadcasting.

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A post shared by Devi Sankaree Govender (@devi_hq)

In a new video message on Instagram, Devi Sankaree Govender says "After 6 years of chasing skelms on the streets of South Africa, mission accomplished."

"It's time now for us to move off linear television. Why? Because you're not here [she holds up a TV remote control], you are here [she holds up a smartphone]. And therefore I need to be here with you, too."

"So this Sunday is going to be the very last episode of The Devi Show on e.tv and eNCA - because one chapter has to end before the others can begin. Can't do two things at the same time."

The episodes from all 24 seasons of The Devi Show will become available on YouTube - on e.tv and her YouTube channels both.

"What is Devi going to do now? All I can say is: Asking questions - tough ones - are always going to be in my DNA. And we may be switching off the studio lights, things are certainly going to get hot. Join me on my journey." 

In a press statement shared with TVwithThinus, Devi Sankaree Govender says "Six years ago, we set out to expose wrongdoing, ask the uncomfortable questions and stand up for people who deserved answers".

"I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved. But I have never been someone who stands still for very long and I am so looking forward to what comes next."

"Through hundreds of investigations, numerous awards and years of compelling storytelling, the programme has built a legacy that extends well beyond Sunday-night television."

"The way we consume media has changed. People are engaging with stories differently, having conversations in real time and connecting directly with the people who make content. I want to be part of that evolution."

She explains that "This next chapter represents an opportunity to explore new ways of storytelling and expand my creative horizons beyond the traditional television format".

"I have spent much of my career telling stories through television and I have loved it. But I am also curious about what else is possible and perhaps show audiences a few sides of me they have not seen before."

Shocking MultiChoice Subscriber Mismanagement as Legacy Showmax and DStv Customers Suddenly Have Subscriptions Hiked From R99 to Thousands After Canal+ Package Changes

by Thinus Ferreira

In shocking and callous DStv customer mismanagement by MultiChoice and Canal+, legacy subscribers have suddenly seen their monthly fees skyrocket from R99 to thousands - with MultiChoice adding insult to injury by making it as difficult as possible - if not impossible - to provide help to get it fixed.

After Canal+ dumped MultiChoice's Showmax streamer, Showmax-only subscribers were offered a 12-month option for R99 per month to get DStv Stream - on the condition that they do not disconnect.

Suddenly, after Canal+ and MultiChoice changed the packaging structure of its DStv bouquets, these subscribers are getting bill shock, in some cases totalling thousands of rands, as MultiChoice haphazardly and out of control moved subscribers to things they don't want and haven't signed up for.

As bad as the errors is Canal+'s MultiChoice in actually properly addressing it and helping customers who are reaching out to the media in desperation, and venting publicly after they can't get any help from the pay-TV service's supposed "customer service".

A customer vented publicly, saying "I took up the R99 price lock offer for DStv Stream. But now when I try to make a payment it requires R389. That's not what I signed up for and the 1 year is not up."

"They're billing me R800 and I also subscribed to the promotion," said another DStv subscriber, while yet another added: "Please explain to me how I subscribed to your R99 promotion for a year after you took over Showmax, then today I woke to a bill of R389.32, including a Stream Sport subscription that I know nothing about? That I can't even dispute? Why?"

Even worse: When these subscribers call MultiChoice, aggressive agents tell them they are wrong, need to pay and can't help.

"DStv consultants are saying the promotion has been discontinued," noted an angry subscriber - which can't be true because MultiChoice isn't allowed to renege on a price-lock contract.

A DStv subscriber who was on a DStv Compact promotion of R100 per month, woke up to see MultiChoice having moved him to the Sports package costing hundreds of rands more - with no explanation.

"My R100 promotional subscription disappeared. What on earth is going on here? When I call the MultiChoice call centre, nobody can assist," he says.

Tonderai Majuru says "Not only does it say I should pay R1 148 but you unilaterally cancelled my DStv Compact subscription, gave me a Sports subscription and hiked my account".

TVwithThinus sent MultiChoice a media query with several questions about the problem.

In response, MultiChoice issued a statement, saying "The R99 offer for eligible former Showmax customers is still in place, with customers being moved to the new DStv Sports package at the same price and on the same terms."

"Some customers experienced issues during the migration, which have since been addressed. If any customers are still experiencing issues with the offer, we encourage them to contact DStv customer care for assistance."

MultiChoice was asked specifically that DStv customers are saying that they've tried to fix the shocking DStv billing problems and got no help and was asked where exactly these concerned customers sort this out and who do they need to speak to or call and for specific details.

MultiChoice says customers can do a Whatsapp chat. Besides that DStv customers can also do an inbound call, or live chat on the DStv website. "All of this is on our website under the Contact us tab".

MultiChoice says "customers who are experiencing this issue will all be assisted, our technical teams are working on it".

Netflix Orders Young Lady Violet Limited Series Spin-off

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix has ordered another Bridgerton spinoff series with Shondaland that will produce a new limited series that will tell the "origin" story of the young Lady Violet.

Shondaland and Netflix refer to the as-yet-untitled Bridgerton series as "untitled Bridgerton project" and it will be in the same vein as the Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story in which the younger Violet already featured.

"Similar to the massive global hit Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, the series will chronicle the early life of a young Lady Violet and tell the story of her romance with Viscount Edmund Bridgerton," Netflix says.

In the current Bridgerton, Ruth Gemmell portrays the widowed matriarch Lady Violet Bridgerton, while Connie Jenkins-Greig is the teenager Violet.

It's unclear whether Connie Jenkins-Greig will reprise the role. Shonda Rhimes as Bridgerton executive producer and Nicholas Nardini are the writers and showrunners of the prequel series.

Season 5 of Bridgerton is currently in production in London.

More Reputational Damage for Bishops Diocesan College as its Old Boys Club Threatens Actor-Comedian Anton Taylor's Right to Free Speech over Pride Flag Fight

by Thinus Ferreira

Bordering on the ridiculously absurd and fully in the realm of shamelessly wasting (parents' school fees?) money, the Bishops Diocesan College's Old Diocesan Committee is now threatening South African actor Anton Taylor with "cease and desist" legal action, for speaking out in social videos against their attempts to prevent the hoisting of the gay Pride flag at the Cape Town school.

While South Africa's constitution guarantees freedom of speech, Bishops' Old Diocesan Committee (ODC) used criminal defence lawyer William Booth to send Anton Taylor, an actor who is active on social media, a threatening "cease and desist" letter.

In the letter, the demand is that he retracts "false and defamatory allegations", stop demanding that old boys committee members resign, and threatening him that he might face interdicts, protection orders, defamation damages and even criminal complaints.

Criminal complaints?

William Booth warned Anton Taylor in the letter "the deadline is final" - which was 1 October 2026.

Anton Taylor isn't having any of it and, through his legal representation, Cheadle  Thompson & Haysom, is accusing Bishops Diocesan College's Old Diocesan Committee of doing what is known as "SLAPP" in America: Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation.

It means somebody is taking some type of legal action, trying to silence someone's public criticism with the threat of legal action.

Bishops Diocesan College's Old Diocesan Committee is fighting with the comedian - himself an alumnus of the school and a former Old Diocesan Union (ODU) vice-chairperson - after it told the school's council it wants a "flag policy" for the school under which only the Bishops' school flag and Anglican communion flags would be allowed to be hoisted on the school grounds.

Bishops has hoisted the Pride flag since 2022 as part of the school's display to support themes of diversity.

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A post shared by Anton Taylor (@iamantontaylor)

Anton Taylor has been vocal in his social media videos about Bishops' ODC discriminatory behaviour and said he wants the committee to resign, or that he will help organise a no-confidence vote to help get rid of them and have them replaced.

His legal team told the legal team of the Bishops Diocesan College's Old Diocesan Committee that the comedian has "not made any false, misleading or defamatory statements and that the threatened legal proceedings will constitute an abuse of process designed to undermine the lawful procedures in terms of the constitution of the Old Diocesan Union".

Taylor "condemned the ODC's opposition to the Pride flag as discriminatory, cowardly and inconsistent with both Bishops' values and those of the Anglican Church. Our client encouraged present pupils and alumni to support gay students and speak openly about homophobia, racism and alleged historical abuse at schools."

MultiChoice's Borromean Rings: M-Net, kykNET and Springbok Rugby are Deliberately Grouped Together: 'Three Content Streams Which are Extremely Popular'

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice deliberately interlinks M-Net, kykNET and Springbok rugby together on DStv and while the latest DStv package restructuring is opening M-Net and kykNET up to a larger subscriber base by downtiering these two out of Premium, Canal+ and MultiChoice, like the Charmed sisters, are well aware of, and are harnessing the magic of the "Power of the Three".

These three extremely sought-after content funnels are what power Canal+'s DStv Premium by far and are the core drivers of DStv premium uptake and keeping them subscribed.

Waldimar Pelser, M-Net director for premium channels, says "We like to group Springbok rugby and kykNET and M-Net together. These are three content streams which are extremely popular with South Africans".

"We also see a lot of English viewers watching kykNET because so little English drama is produced these days in South Africa. kykNET is the viewing of English viewers looking for authentic South African drama content."

With Canal+ and MultiChoice's adjustment to the DStv packages, channels like M-Net, BBC Earth, Discovery and others which have always been DStv Premium locked, are now included and down-tiered into the cheaper Movies & Series package.

This allows more DStv subscribers, at a lower price point, to now get access to channels like M-Net (DStv 101) and the premium content on that channel.

"It's important for us in the design of these DStv packages to enlarge the Afrikaans world a little bit," he says.

"kykNET is now available on the new Movies & Series package, which is big news for us. It's also the home of M-Net and the top M-Net Movies channels watched by many kykNET viewers."

"If you're not a sports-watching home, and there are those, then there's another package where you can view kykNET."

"The kykNET & Kie channel is included in the new Starter package and we want as many viewers as possible to enjoy Afrikaans content," he says.

"The Afrikaans content we produce costs much more than the Hollywood content we broadcast, so it's very important for us to protect this investment."

"How we do it, is that we broadcast the new programmes where the most viewers are, and that's between 18:00 and 21:00 on weeknights."

ALSO READ: kykNET Now Channel with Most Viewers on DStv Premium After MultiChoice Correctly Predicted the SABC Would Drop Afrikaans Output Post-1994

MultiChoice Guts DStv Indian Bouquet by Axing 5 TV Channels Without Price Reduction

by Thinus Ferreira

In a shocking move that has caused outrage and disgust with DStv's Indian subscribers, MultiChoice is gutting its DStv Indian bouquet and axing 5 TV channels.

Adding insult to injury is that MultiChoice is apparently not decreasing the price, meaning that DStv subscribers paying extra for the Bollywood content are not just losing TV channels they love but will be paying the same for essentially much less content.

Also very noteworthy and pointed out to me by a subscriber: MultiChoice has cut all of the North Indian channels in Hindi language. The remaining channels are South Indian with a totally different language.

The changes to the DStv Indian bouquet add-on come after Canal+ and MultiChoice restructured its main offerings into new packages from 17 September. 

MultiChoice told DStv subscribers who pay an additional fee of R280 for the "Add Indian" bouquet that "We are refining the DStv channel line-up to better match how our customers watch and enjoy content".

"Rather than spreading similar content across many channels, we're focusing on fewer, stronger channels to create a simpler viewing experience."

"Your Add Indian add-on remains available in South Africa and you'll continue to enjoy Indian entertainment. We appreciate your continued support as we evolve our offering. We're committed to providing quality entertainment and even better value".

Gone from 31 October 2026 will be SET Asia (DStv 450), Zee TV (DStv 452), SET Max (DStv 457), Zee Cinema (DStv 460) and WION (DStv 461).

The only channels which will remain in the DStv Indian bouquet will be Star Plus (DStv 453), Star Vijay (DStv 455) and Colors TV (DStv 456).

In response to questions in a media query, MultiChoice tells TVwithThinus "As viewing habits continue to change, MultiChoice is refining the DStv channel line-up to match".

"As such, SET Asia, Zee TV, SET Max, Zee Cinema and WION will no longer be available from 31 October 2026 at 23:59 CAT. 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."

"DStv subscribers will continue to have access to a range of Indian-inspired entertainment through channels like Star Plus, Vijay TV, and Colors TV."

"Movie-lovers who have the Add Movies subscription will still have access to Hollywood's latest blockbusters on M-Movies+ and M-Movies Stars."

MultiChoice didn't answer whether the DStv Indian add-on price is being reduced due to fewer TV channels included in it, and if so, to what, or if not, why not.

e.tv Dumps More Content as Isitha: The Enemy is Canned

by Thinus Ferreira

eMedia's e.tv continues dumping content and has now also cancelled Isitha: The Enemy, which will end on 23 April 2027 after executives decided the red-letter channel is done with the Black Brain Pictures-produced show after three years.

The canning of the Roodepoort-filmed series comes after e.tv basically scrapped its entire primetime line-up, leaving the Black Brain Pictures drama as the last piece of its "legacy" programming.

Isitha: The Enemy started as a spin-off out of the experimental and risque adult telenovela The Black Door that only lasted a single season's 260 episodes and was a step too far for e.tv audiences.

Mandla N, Black Brain Pictures co-founder and executive producer, says "As we approach this final chapter, we want to leave viewers with the same spirit that has defined the show from the beginning - bold storytelling, unexpected twists and characters who refuse to be forgotten".

"There are still a lot of stories left to tell before we say goodbye, and audiences can expect the final stretch to be every bit as dramatic, emotional and unpredictable as the journey that brought us here."

Helga Palmer, eMedia's head of content development and strategy, says Isitha: The Enemy was "an important part of e.tv's storytelling journey".

"As a spinoff of The Black Door, to becoming a powerful story in its own right, the series has entertained audiences, introduced memorable characters and demonstrated the strength of South African storytelling," she says.

"As we prepare to close this chapter, we are also looking ahead with excitement. e.tv is entering a new wave of drama, bringing compelling stories, with a healthy mix of accomplished and new talent to our audiences."

kykNET Now Channel with Most Viewers on DStv Premium After MultiChoice Correctly Predicted the SABC Would Drop Afrikaans Output Post-1994

by Thinus Ferreira

The biggest pay-TV channel in terms of viewership on DStv's most expensive premium package - the subscribers most sought-after by Canal+'s MultiChoice - is the Afrikaans kykNET channel, after MultiChoice executives years ago correctly predicted that the South African public broadcaster would dump Afrikaans content after 1994.

MultiChoice and M-Net deliberately started kykNET (DStv 144) from scratch in 1999 and then invested millions of rands into the creation of original Afrikaans content across various genres, predicting that the SABC would marginalise its output of Afrikaans TV content - which is exactly what happened.

The SABC's loss and steady alienation of Afrikaans viewers due to its ongoing erosion and loss of Afrikaans programming, led these viewers to migrate to DStv, where kykNET has since been the biggest single commercial beneficiary of premium subscribers.

kykNET has not only managed to capture a massive Afrikaans audience on pay-TV but also attracts English viewers who seek out local South African drama series and decide to watch kykNET because of the English subtitles.

Waldimar Pelser, M-Net director for premium channels, says "the bulk of kykNET's viewers are in the premium bouquet".

"The opportunity that was identified years ago with the launch of kykNET, 26 years ago, was the anticipation that South Africa's public broadcaster was not going to - and now I have to be very diplomatic - prioritise Afrikaans content in the years after 1994."

"That's exactly what happened. If you now look at what's available on the SABC, there's one soap in Afrikaans on the SABC. That's all there is. And there's the news. It's not a full offering to reflect Afrikaans viewers' world."

"kykNET started with no budget, no programmes. It started very, very small and today kykNET is the biggest channel on Premium. I think it's because it does something for people that's really important to them," he says.

"We can see ourselves on screen. We can see the themes and issues which are important to us, reflected on screen. It ranges from current affairs to documentaries and or course, very important, drama series."

He says "it's very interesting to see how many English viewers come to kykNET because very little English drama is produced in South Africa with the South African English audience in mind".

"If you look at some of the very good drama series that were produced for M-Net over the last couple of years, they were mostly international co-productions with a South African and overseas audience in mind."

"The kykNET content is truly local content, really made for South Africans. So a lot of English viewers, because there are English subtitles, come aboard and say 'Here is where we can find authentic South African stories - on kykNET - and we welcome that."

ALSO READ: MultiChoice's Borromean Rings: M-Net, kykNET and Springbok Rugby are Deliberately Grouped Together: 'Three Content Streams Which are Extremely Popular'

kykNET Revives Original Kokkedoor Cooking Reality Competition Show with Homebrew Films for November Airing

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net's Afrikaans pay-TV channel kykNET (DStv 144) is reviving its original Kokkedoor food reality competition show as Kokkedoor: Klassiek, which means a technical 6th season of the Kokkedoor series, or the 11th overall when counting the spinoffs.

Homebrew Films is once again lensing the next instalment, which will be broadcast from Thursday 5 November at 20:00 on kykNET (DStv 144).

Kokkedoor had 5 seasons on kykNET, with the format that spawned several spin-offs like Koekedoor, Kokkedoortjies, Kokkedoor: Vuur & Vlam in 2023, and last year's Kokkedoor: Son & See.

Kokkedoor started on kykNET in 2013.

Kokkedoor: Klassiek returns to the team dynamic of a passionate home cook or "onthoukok", paired with a professional chef or "kinkelkok". 

Together, they must compete to combine treasured family food memories with advanced professional techniques to reinvent South African culinary classics.

The judges are food writer and TV personality Herman Lensing, and chef and restaurateur Jess van Dyk who is the executive chef and owner of Post & Pepper in Stellenbosch.

Waldimar Pelser, M-Net director for premium channels, says "Kokkedoor classic is what it started with more than a decade ago. Filming just wrapped and we can't wait to see it on screen. This is the classic version of Kokkedoor that a lot of viewers will remember."