Hisense SA Adds SportsCast as a FAST-channel to its VIDAA Line-up

by Thinus Ferreira

While Samsung has failed to launch its built-in FAST (Free-Ad Supporting Streaming TV) platform, Samsung TV Plus in South Africa, which is a very bad and a massive drawback for its Smart TVs sold locally, rival Hisense has a great existing FAST service that continues to grow and has now added SportsCast Africa as a sports channel.

Samsung Smart TVs in South Africa don't have its Samsung TV Plus FAST service, but Hisense South Africa has VIDAA that continues to expand and has now added SportsCast Africa on channel 5208.

SportsCast Africa is a 24/7 linear sports TV channel for sub-Saharan audiences with continental and global sports news, highlights and live events.

It is distributed free of charge across FAST platforms and combines a fixed daily schedule of recurring sports strips with live event coverage.

SportsCast Africa, operated by Broadsmart, is already available and accessible on the South African public broadcaster's SABC+ platform as its own streaming feed, and is now on Hisense TVs too.

SportsCast Africa's schedule covers African and international football, motorsport, basketball, rugby, tennis and multi-sport action.

It is aggregated within daily shows like Football Daily, Soccer Highlights and SportsWrap for football fans, Pole Position for motorsport, Slam Dunk for basketball and Cross Court for tennis. Some live matches are also shown from time to time.

"Partnering with Hisense, a market leader in the region and a brand that takes a genuinely innovative approach to working with content providers, puts SportsCast Africa where African sports fans already are," says Yokow Quansah, managing director at Broadsmart.

"Our promise is simple: great sport, whenever and wherever you want it, free and with nothing to install. This is a meaningful step in building a genuinely free sports service for African viewers."

Luna Nortje, Hisense SA deputy general manager, says customers who support Hisense "can enjoy the sport they love without paying extra for it".

Actor Mfana-Jones Hlophe dead at 55

by Thinus Ferreira

Actor, singer and dancer Mfana-Jones Hlophe (Thembinkosi Phillip Hlophe), known for his role as Bra Nimrod Thabebe on SABC1's Generations - The Legacy had died. He was 55.

Mfana-Jones Hlophe was known to South African viewers for several prominent roles across television, film and theatre throughout his 37-year career.

His most notable roles included the problematic and scheming Bra Nimrod Thabede in Generations - The Legacy who was the father of Swazi Thabede, Jabu in SABC1's Soul City, and Zakgele in SABC1's Uzalo.

He made one of his final television appearances as Uncle Mkhize in the Kwa Baba telenovela on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) earlier this year.

Mfana-Jones Hlophe also had roles in Sarafina! (his involvement in the theatre production led to a role in the 1992 film), Imbewu: The Seed on e.tv, Stokvel on SABC2, SACB1's Emzini Wezinsizwa, Mama's Love, Khululeka, Single Guyz, as well as Mzansi Magic's isiBaya and Zabalaza.

Mfana-Jones Hlophe died on Wednesday night at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg, where he was rushed to after a health emergency and was pronounced dead upon arrival. The actor has struggled with health complications from Type 1 Diabetes for years.

On Wednesday evening, when his partner returned home, she found him in a bad condition, went and got him Coca-Cola to try and stabilise his "sugar levels" but it didn't help. They then got into an e-hailing car to the hospital but he must have died on the way there.

Neither the SABC nor Morula Pictures that produces Generations - The Legacy bothered to issue any press release to the media as is customary, but on its Facebook page Generations wrote "On behalf of the producers, cast and crew, we are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Mfana-Jones Hlophe. We would like to send our condolences to the family. We hold you close in our thoughts during this painful time."

Enjay Productions said Mfana-Jones Hlophe's "passion for the arts and the people around him will always live on".

Mfana-Jones Hlophe matriculated in 1987 and joined the Mbongeni Ngema School of Art, where he was selected to join the second company of Sarafina! that toured Europe in 1989.

In1992 he attended the Gibson Kente's School of Art where he started scriptwriting and a year later got a role in Gibson Kente's Mfowethu that was produced by Pacofs in Bloemfontein. 

He joined the African Research and Puppetry Programmes (AREPP) in 1994, where he studied puppetry for a year and in 1995 Mfana-Jones Hlophe composed the music and played a lead role at Eurostage, a European company, and toured across Europe with the cast of Isikulu.

In 1997, Mfana-Jones Hlophe got the lead role in Ipi Ntombi.

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."