kykNET Cancels Skemergrond from Penguin Films After 3 Seasons

by Thinus Ferreira

kykNET has cancelled the Cape Town set and produced kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) telenovela Skemergrond without giving any explanation to the industry or viewers.

Skemergrond, produced by Penguin Films will end after three seasons on 24 June 2027, after 260 episodes.

Skemergrond made its debut on 1 July 2024 set on the flower farm of the Louw family, with some scenes filmed on various places in the Western Cape, and in-studio at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town.

The telenovela just added the Fortuin family to the story.

In a statement supplied to some media, kykNET says "kykNET would like to thank Penguin Films, the cast and every member of the production team who, since 2024 have brought the beautiful world of Gemoedsdrift and its people into homes across the country".

"We also thank loyal viewers for their years of support of Skemergrond. The gates of Everlasting may be closing, but its stories, characters and flowers will continue to bloom in the hearts of viewers."

TVwithThinus asked kykNET for the press statement and why Skemergrond was cancelled, and it will be added here when received.

The axing of Skemergrond follows after e.tv's abrupt cancellation of its Afrikaans telenovela Kelders van Geheime after two seasons, and the SABC's end of Paradys on SABC2 after a single season which was a ratings failure for the public broadcaster.

Enver Groenewald Out at SABC After Less Than a Year and Replaced by Tendai Matore as Public Broadcaster's New Ad Sales Boss

by Thinus Ferreira

Enver Groenewald is gone as the SABC's chief commercial officer less than a year after the South African public broadcaster touted his appointment, with Tendai Matore who has been appointed to fill his role as CCO.

The SABC didn't issue any press release to the industry like it did with Enver Groenewald's appointment as CCO.

A source recently alerted TVwithThinus about the "sudden departure" of Enver Groenewald, who apparently quietly left by August, after he started in October 2025, lasting only 10 months. 

Another source, a veteran ad executive working outside of the SABC, confirmed to TVwithThinus that Enver Groenewald is "definitely out" and that Tendai Matore is in. The news is still circulating through South Africa's ad biz.

Tendai is very good," said the source. "He's cool and can get things over the line."

The SABC was asked in a media query on Tuesday for confirmation about Enver Groenewald's exit and Tendai Matore replacing him, as well as why a person with a financial background was given the advertising and TV Licence portfolio.

The SABC didn't respond to the media query.

Tendai Matore is a chartered accountant who served as acting chief financial officer of the SABC in the past. 

Prior to his acting CFO role, the Zimbabwean-born Tendai Matore served as head of finance and management reporting, general manager of financial and management reporting, and was also the head of group financial reporting.

On the SABC website, Tendai Matore is still listed under the SABC board as acting CFO.

MultiChoice Tanzania Adds 130-episode Swahili Telenovela Karata to Maisha Magic Bongo

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Tanzania has added a new locally produced Swahili telenovela, Karata, that will unspool with three weekly episodes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays on the Maisha Magic Bongo (DStv 160) channel.

Produced by veteran filmmaker Aziz Mohamed Ahmed's Big One Entertainment with Aziz Mohamed Ahmed as executive producer, MultiChoice commissioned 130 episodes of the new series which is being made available on Canal+'s cheapest DStv package, DStv Starter.

Karata revolves around the powerful Simba family, filled with succession battles, business rivalries, betrayal, love and how traditions influence personal and business decisions.

"Karata is a flagship drama series produced entirely in Tanzania, by Tanzanian creatives and featuring exceptional local talent both on and off screen," says Sophie Tchatchoua, MultiChoice Tanzania CEO.

Evelyn Byaruhanga, Maisha Magic Bongo channel head, says "Through productions like this, we continue to strengthen our commitment to telling local stories that resonate deeply with audiences in Tanzania and across Africa".

With Karata joining an established weekday slate on Maisha Magic Bongo - which includes long-running hits like Huba, Jua Kali and Mpali - MultiChoice continues to anchor its East African subscriber retention strategy on high-volume, domestic Swahili programming.

kykNET Adds Controversial Hunting Reality Show

by Thinus Ferreira

Following the low-grade trashy TV reality jump of Moer 'n Boer from VIA to kykNET, M-Net's Afrikaans channel kykNET (DStv 144) is adding an eyebrow-raising hunting reality show called Jagter that will see participants compete to become the best animal killer for entertainment.

Nico Panagio is the presenter of Jagter, which starts on 9 December on kykNET. Jagter is a licensed show from Die Jagter Productions and will run for 10 episodes.

According to a kykNET press release, 12 people will compete for the title of South Africa's "best ethical hunter".

Hunting is deeply controversial in South Africa and now kykNET brings it to television for DStv subscribers.

At the centre of the issue is an ongoing legal, ethical, and political debate between conservationists, animal welfare groups, private game landowners, and the government.

While the South African government and industry bodies view regulated hunting as a vital pillar of rural economic development and wildlife management, critics argue it has become an unethical, commercialised system that threatens biodiversity and fails to benefit local communities.

A lot of people see hunting in South Africa as a blood sport for wealthy tourists who should use cameras instead of rifles. Now kykNET is bringing both the cameras and the rifles.

In South Africa, foreign hunting shows and YouTube channels frequently spark local outrage, especially when international hosts film hunts involving elephants, lions, or leopards. 

While local hunting associations maintain that legal hunts bring vital revenue to rural areas, viral clips of celebratory kills often trigger intense public backlash, boycotts, and renewed pressure on the government to tighten hunting regulations.

"Jagter is about much more than the moment someone pulls the trigger," says Louis Schoeman, creator and executive producer of Jagter in a supplied quote in the kykNET press statement.

"It is about responsibility, discipline, respect for nature, and the decisions made long before that moment. We wanted to create a series that celebrates the skills of hunters, as well as the values that underpin responsible hunting."

"Ultimately, Jagter will not only determine who can shoot the best, but who has the character and judgment to truly earn the title."

MultiChoice 'Pirate' who Allegedly Resold DStv for R160 has R6.2 Million Frozen in Illegal Streaming Court Case

by Thinus Ferreira

Damian Grundlingh in Nelson Mandela Bay, who allegedly resold MultiChoice's DStv for R160 to pirate viewers, has had R6.2 million frozen by the Eastern Cape High Court over his alleged massive video pirate streaming operation he ran.

Damian Grundlingh from Despatch is now under investigation by the National Prosecuting Authority's Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) for alleged violations of the Cybercrimes Act as well as the Copyright Act. 

Damian Grundlingh is accused of running an illegal live-streaming service, using MultiChoice's DStv content and channels, since at least October 2024, and illegally accessing and redistributing the pay-TV operator's content without authorisation.

Damian Grundlingh allegedly resold DStv for as little as a R160 monthly subscription fee to pirate viewers. 

Between January 2025 and April 2026, investigators found 104 667 transactions between Damian Grundlingh and his pirate base of illegal DStv viewers.

Damian Grundlingh has not yet been arrested or charged in the criminal investigation that is ongoing.

The National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) asked the court to preserve and forfeit property it believes is the proceeds of unlawful activities. Damian Grundlingh didn't oppose the order, which was granted under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA).

Advocate Samkelo Mtwana, Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, says "The forfeiture of these funds demonstrates that the NPA will not only pursue those suspected of engaging in unlawful activities but will also target the proceeds generated from such conduct".

"The alleged large-scale piracy operation highlights the significant financial impact that cyber-enabled and intellectual  property-related offences can have."

"Through the AFU, we will continue to use every lawful means available to deprive suspected offenders of the benefits of their unlawful activities."

The case is the result of MultiChoice investigators, the NPA's Specialised Commercial Crime Unit, the Hawks, and the Financial Intelligence Centre.

Allegedly Drunk Zimbabwean Below Deck Star João Franco Arrested And in Prison After Fistfight That Caused 17-Year-Old Store Worker's Death

by Thinus Ferreira

The Zimbabwean Below Deck star João Franco (36) was arrested in Turkey, according to reports, after he was involved in a fistfight, together with his brother, that led to the death of a 17-year old store employee.

 João Franco appeared on seasons of Below Deck Down Under and Below Deck Mediterranean on Bravo (DStv 124).

According to reports, "tourists, reportedly intoxicated, started arguing with shop officials because they were using foul language".

"The argument quickly escalated into a fight, after which the 17-year-old fell to the ground after being punched and hit his head on the stairs."

João Franco and his brother Karlos Franco were both arrested in Cumhuriyet Street in Çarşı Mahallesi in Turkey's Bodrum region. 

Local publications in Turkey like Voices Newspaper and Haberler.com, report that João Franco and Karlos Franco were swearing and screaming profanities which escalated the argument into a physical fistfight at the clothes shop.

After the fistfight, the teenager sustained a severe head injury and suffered cardiac arrest.

João Franco and Karlos Franco were taken to the Bodrum Courthouse and are currently both in prison.

Before entering the yachting industry, João Franco and his brother built a business in South Africa manufacturing custom 4x4 overlander vehicles. 

Several members of his immediate family live in Durban, and he has also maintained a home base in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal.

SABC Broadcasts, Now Running on Generators, Disrupted After Power Outage Because of Substation Explosions in Johannesburg

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's public broadcaster is experiencing the loss of some of its SABC broadcasting services after it had to fall back on the prolonged use of generators for electricity after substation explosions in Johannesburg. 

According to the SABC, the public broadcaster has been forced to switch to its contingency measures of using backup power generators during what it calls a "prolonged power outage" in and around the Auckland Park area since Sunday morning.

"The SABC has been operating with generator power and the extended use and reliance on this contingency measure has impacted the SABC's ability to maintain normal transmission operations across certain platforms and services".

The broadcaster says that Johannesburg's City Power said on Tuesday that the restoration period could not be confirmed after a second explosion at the substation.

"The SABC's technical teams are working around the clock to minimise interruptions and restore affected services as quickly as possible. The SABC is also engaging other relevant stakeholders to monitor developments and implement appropriate mitigating measures," the broadcaster said on Wednesday morning.

It's as yet unclear which specific SABC broadcasting services have been interrupted, although the streaming availability of several channels and content on its video streaming service SABC+ have frozen.

According to City Power, the Mayfair substation exploded on Sunday 8 November. On Tuesday it exploded again.

City Power in a statement, said it hasn't been able to determine the cause of the explosions yet, and that restoration time is also unknown.

City Power regrets the secondary explosion at Mayfair Substation shortly after teams had begun restoring electricity at around 18:00."

"The fire department contained the fire, and the area has been cordoned off until it is declared safe for City Power teams to come in and do an assessment of the damage."

MultiChoice Nigeria Welcomes Nigerian Regulator Reaffirming that Rivals Can't Steal Its TV Channels and Content Just Because They Have Access to It

by Thinus Ferreira

Canal+'s MultiChoice Nigeria has welcomed a reaffirmed directive it has long lobbied for from Nigeria's regulator, under which rivals are not allowed to pirate and infringe copyright by grabbing and retransmitting TV channels from competitors without permission and contracts.

Over the last couple of years Nigeria has been rife with channel-hijacking, where pay-TV upstarts would simply take TV channels broadcast primarily by MultiChoice Nigeria's DStv and add it for periods to their own channel line-ups with authorisation or channel carriage agreements.

Especially during major sports tournaments, operators would pirate MultiChoice Nigeria's SuperSport content and shamelessly retransmit and piggyback these channels and premium sports events without approval and without payment.

MultiChoice has now welcomed a directive by Nigeria's National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) that reaffirms the country's regulations regarding the retransmission of audiovisual content in Nigeria.

Issued on 2 November, the NBC reaffirms that simply because an operator or broadcaster has access to another broadcaster or operator's signal or TV channels, it does not automatically grant an operator the right to retransmit or to commercially redistribute that content without agreement and payment.

Operators must get the necessary rights and authorisations before retransmitting protected content, with the NBC warning that unauthorised retransmission constitutes a violation of intellectual property rights.

Kemi Omotosho, MultiChoice Nigeria CEO, says the NBC's clarification and reaffirmation of the directive is important for the protection of content creators and content rights holders and promotes a more orderly and sustainable broadcasting market in Nigeria.

"A clear and predictable regulatory framework benefits the entire creative ecosystem, supporting investment in local content and creating long-term value for creators, rights-holders, operators and audiences alike," Kemi Omotosho says.

According to Kemi Omotosho, the NBC directive gives important regulatory guidance for Nigeria's broadcasting industry, reinforces the need to respect intellectual property rights, promote fair competition and ensure a level playing field for legitimate pay-operators.

MultiChoice Nigeria says it will continue to work with regulators and industry stakeholders to promote legitimate content distribution and to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the West African country's audiovisual sector.

Angola Gives China's StarTimes Permission to Start Pay-TV Service

by Thinus Ferreira

Angola has given China's StarTimes permission to start its pay-TV in the South-Western African country.

Following a presidential decree signed by Angolan president João Lourenço, China's StarTimes will finally be able to compete with Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice's DStv, ZAP and TV Cabo as existing pay-TV operators.

The decision to allow StarTimes into the country and to provide a subscription TV distribution service is set out in Angola's Presidential Decree No 408/26 of 6 November and was published in the Angolan government's gazette, Series I, No. 211.

It gives a specific concession to StarTimes Angola, Limitada to run a pay-TV operation.

It's part of the Angolan government's 2026 strategic plan on loosening the licensing regulation for electronic communications operators in the country.

The move is intended to break up existing monopolies, expand content options and stimulate sector growth.

StarTimes is a Chinese media and pay-TV company with an extensive and ever-expanding presence across the African continent, funnelling mostly Asian telenovelas, drama series and Chinese TV channels into the continent.

Last year, StarTimes executives said the company has "great interest" in working with Angola's National Radio (RNA) and Public Television (TPA).