by Thinus Ferreira
MultiChoice and M-Net are not willing to say whether the traditional pay-TV company, soon to be taken over by France's Canal+, is reevaluating its strategy of broadcasting derogatory podcasts on its linear Mzansi Magic TV channel after another one is inflicting massive brand damage.
The shocking and degrading podcast, Open Chats Podcasts- hosted by Mthokozisi, Sonwabile, Lefa Hlalele and Busisiwe Radebe and run on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) as one of several podcasts placed on the linear channel - sparked massive public condemnation over racist and revolting utterances, causing more brand damage for MultiChoice, DStv and Mzansi Magic.
Although the specific podcast episode in question wasn't aired by M-Net on Mzansi Magic, MultiChoice is paying Open Chats Podcasts for its content and supporting them financially, and even led to South Africa's minister of communications, Gayton McKenzie, calling MultiChoice about the obscene content.
The nasty trashcast continues to be condemned by the public, community groups, politicians and viewers after the presenters made appalling and crude comments about coloured people, falsely claiming that coloured people have incestuous sexual relationships and that it is due to mental illness.
Mthokozisi said "The coloureds apparently chow each other" after which Lefa said "siblings" and another chimed in with "I believe that's because the coloureds are crazy" and saying "I have dated a coloured guy. If you're mentally crazy of course you will sleep with your cousins".
Following the uproar Open Chats Podcasts in a statement says "The intention was never to cause harm or disrespect the coloured community. Open Chats is a platform centred on open conversations, which at times touch on sensitive topics".
"We do understand that as a platform, we should conduct conversations respectfully."
Politicians in South Africa are now calling for regulation of podcasts. The Open Chats Podcast is now also being investigated by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). The Patriotic Alliance political party has opened a criminal case with the South African police.
MultiChoice has now canned the Open Chats Podcast on Mzansi Magic.
It is just the latest podcast that was taken from the internet to be repositioned on one of M-Net's linear pay-TV channels and where it went up in flames, causing brand damage.
Earlier this year MultiChoice and M-Net suffered reputational damage when the Podcast and Chill presenter MacGyver "MacG" Mukwevho got dumped from Mzansi Magic in May after extremely vulgar and degrading gender-attacking comments he made about another the private parts of local personality, Minnie Dlamini.
The next to go in June was podcaster Lasizwe Dambuza after the Awkward Dates podcast also ended on Mzansi Magic when that deal got terminated.
These podcasts - a group of eight - have been supplied to M-Net for its Mzansi Magic channel by Leading Edge Growth since the place-podcasts-on-TV deal was announced in March, but so far the results have been completely disastrous.
While M-Net tried to save money by spending less on producing and programming its own local content for Mzansi Magic and paying for much cheaper content ripped from the internet that comes with lower production values, standards and no oversight, the results have been extremely destructive for DStv, M-Net and Mzansi Magic.
Mzansi Magic's decision led to the South African public broadcaster also starting to experiment with replacing some linear programming with cheaper and low-value podcasts.
TVwithThinus asked MultiChoice, M-Net and Mzansi Magic whether they have been, or are busy reevaluating the cheap replay of online podcasts for linear primetime on DStv - a programming decision that was signed off by Shirley Adonisi, the M-Net director for local entertainment channels.
MultiChoice, M-Net and Mzansi Magic declined to answer the specific questions asked but in a response said "MultiChoice is aware of recent comments made on the Open Chats Podcast".
"Open Chats' contract with DStv ended on 25 July 2025, as the show was removed to make way for our August content slate. The episode in question was not aired on our platform. MultiChoice adheres to stringent quality control processes and does not promote any discriminatory content."
Meanwhile, South Africa's TV and film industry is openly wondering why traditional broadcasters are giving up valuable airtime to low-quality content and vapid microphone-filmed talk that drags down ratings, leads to brand damage, isn't supportive of local production companies and ends up as a disservice to DStv subscribers and other viewers who pay with the expectation of getting original content that has higher production values.
MultiChoice, M-Net and Mzansi Magic were also asked why they feel that it's good business to continue to air podcasts on linear television and to be associated with this type of content and these content creators, and what they make of the Open Chat Podcast and the utterances of these talkers, but they declined to answer these questions.
