Filming starts on season 6 of Primedia Studios and Homebrew Films' MasterChef SA for e.tv as Filmscape's LED Volume adds a virtual tasting expansion

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's MasterChef SA contestants for the upcoming 6th season on e.tv from 22 February will suddenly find themselves at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, among golden hay bales on a farm, as well as Nelson Mandela's statue at Sandton Square - all without having ever left Atlantic Studios in Cape Town.

Filming of Primedia Studios' 6th season of MasterChef SA, done by Homebrew Films at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town, has started and for the first time in the history of the South African reality cooking competition series, a virtual video wall is being incorporated as an additional environment besides the MasterChef SA kitchen.

To seamlessly immerse the MasterChef SA contestants into other realms, the Banijay-format show is making use of Filmscape's revolutionary LED Volume - Africa's first - in Milnerton. 

For certain tasting and judging segments, the contestants and MasterChef SA judges will leave the MasterChef SA kitchen and walk a stone's throw distance to the curvature of the massive "in vision" wall that will display a backdrop of Paris, a yellow farm field, as well as Johannesburg's Sandton precinct.

Cutting down on costs for on-location shoots, while being able to control the lighting and removing any hindrances like wind, Homebrew Films is able to bake and make MasterChef SA scenes for the 6th season on e.tv to perfection - crafting scenes that look like they're set outdoors with an Instagram-reel feel.

Charl Marais, Filmscape general manager, told TVwithThinus during a MasterChef SA set visit last week, that the LED Volume suddenly opened up more possibilities for the show in terms of what's possible, similar to all of the other productions that have started to embrace the technology, the studio space and the LED Volume over the past three years.

"It's extremely time-effective and cost-effective, so it increases productivity. Producers and directors get more done, faster, and also more precisely since they're in even more control over even more environmental factors when placing scenes within the LED Volume".

Although done far down at the bottom end of Africa, Banijay had absolutely no qualms about Homebrew Films incorporating a virtual environment for the new MasterChef SA season after the idea of using the LED Volume was pitched.

With Primedia Studios and Homebrew Films' proven track record of rekindling MasterChef SA for a 4th season on M-Net in 2022, followed by a 5th season for SABC3, the South African version will again take a kitchen leap forward by adding virtual video wall backdrops for the 6th season.

"The setup and turnaround time is very quick, the contestants, judges and guests remain contained without having to be transported away from studio, and get to play, compete and taste in beautiful additional environments," Charl Marais explains.

Filming of the 6th season of MasterChef SA will be completed in mid-December with the new season of 26 episodes that will start on e.tv on Sunday, 22 February 2026, in the plum timeslot of 18:00.

All three MasterChef SA judges - Zola Nene, Justine Drake and chef Katlego Mlambo - are back for the 6th season.

Justine Drake told TVwithThinus "the MasterChef SA contestants this season are definitely quite good cooks".

"They've also improved at a very rapid rate. The new season is more 'contestant-forward' if that's a word. It relies more on them and they're delivering - a lot of different characters: A lot of colours and cultures."

Zola Nene said "What's evident this year is definitely an elevated level of creativity - the ideas that they come up with are very outside the box. Some of their ideas seem TikTok inspired, so the level of creativity is evident".

Katlego Mlambo said "this is my second season and together with Justine and Zola we're an amazing trifecta together in looking at what the contestants come up with and are trying to surprise us with and us judging what they plate for us".

About the contestants, he says "I think food has evolved so much the last seven years. It's much more of a culture now - making food is quite a 'dreamy' job to have, so your Instagrams, your TikToks, your Facebooks: Everyone's a content creator now and everyone's a food content creator".

"Mzansi food has grown so much because we are doing all of the European trends, and all of the American trends, but we are also adding a Mzansi South African flavour to it".

Rapid Blue ups Refiloe Montso to chief operating officer and Grant Flynn as chief creative officer

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African production company Rapid Blue has upped Refiloe Montso to chief operating officer and Grant Flynn as chief creative officer from December 2025.

Rapid Blue, part of BBC Studios, was founded in 1993, and delivers shows like Come Dine with Me South Africa to BBC Studios Africa for channels like BBC Lifestyle and is currently producing Die Kantoor as the Afrikaans version of The Office for MultiChoice's Showmax and kykNET (DStv 144).

Reliloe Montso joined Rapid Blue as business and legal affairs manager in 2024. Grant Flynn joined Rapid Blue in 2021.

Jacob De Boer, executive vice president for global production at BBC Studios, in a supplied quote on the appointments, says "Refiloe and Grant bring great complementary skillsets and a dynamic partnership that will strengthen Rapid Blue's position as a leader in African television".

"Their combined expertise ensures the company continues to thrive in an evolving media landscape and I'm confident in the future success of our South African production business."

Refiloe Montso says "I'm thrilled to take on this responsibility and continue building on Rapid Blue's legacy of delivering world-class content. Our focus remains on creating stories that resonate deeply with audiences across Africa and beyond".

Grant Flynn says "This is an exciting chapter for Rapid Blue. With Refiloe and the incredible team, we are committed to pushing creative boundaries and producing shows that entertain, inspire, and connect people. Our team is passionate about storytelling and we can't wait to share what’s next".

ESPN Africa adds International Basketball Federation rights for sub-Saharan Africa in new 4-year deal until 2029 for 1 500 matches

by Thinus Ferreira

Disney's ESPN Africa has picked up the exclusive broadcast rights to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in a new 4-year deal for sub-Saharan Africa for 1 500 matches that will be shown on the ESPN channels between now and 2029.

ESPN Africa's content will include the FIBA Basketball World Cups and Continental Cups, as well as the Women’s and Youth World Cups and the men's and women's FIBA AfroBasket, the FIBA Men's and Women's Basketball World Cups and Olympic qualifying events.

Kyle de Klerk, Walt Disney Company Africa director of sports, says in a supplied statement "ESPN Africa remains committed to bringing viewers the very best in sport from around the world".

"Basketball has an incredible following on the continent, and this collaboration with FIBA gives our audiences the opportunity to experience the global game in all its forms, from the biggest tournaments to the next generation of stars."

SABC silent on 7-month delay of Pimville shifted to SABC2 in February 2026 as Bakwena Productions non-payment scandal continues

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC doesn't want to explain why Pimville on SABC2, its replacement for the cancelled Muvhango, failed to start in August and has now been shifted to February 2026, while the scandal around not paying people what they're owed by its controversial production company Bakwena Productions, continues.

In May, Nomsa Chabeli, SABC CEO, told parliamentt that ""Come August, we are launching a new telenovela called Pimville on SABC2, and based on that we will be really driving that audience share back to SABC2. We're working hard to ensure that the script is relevant for the audiences and that the storyline is going to be effectively doing what we need it to do."

Pimville failed to start in August, or in 2025. 

Nomsa Chabeli never spoke about Pimville again and gave no further update. 

Since August the SABC was asked repeatedly in media queries about Pimville's delayed launch but didn't respond.

Pre-production on Pimville started in January after the SABC decided it was finally done with Muvhango.

Meanwhile, there are new reports of Bakwena Productions not paying people. It's unclear why the SABC decided to give Bakwena Productions work when the public broadcaster is aware that Bakwena Productions has a problem paying people what they are owed.

Bakwena Productions is owned by Kagiso Modupe and Rashaka Muofhe. 

Service providers claim they are still owed over R200 000 for the failed Pound 4 Pound drama series that Paramount African commissioned from Bakwena Productions for BET Africa (DStv 129).

Sipho Hlatshwayo, a transport provider who worked on Pound 4 Pound, has now also come forward to say he and two drivers are owed hundreds of thousands of rand by Bakwena Productions. Bakwena Productions was served with a letter of demand.

Last week Tuesday, the SABC had a Pimville "cast reveal" media event in Johannesburg for the show that is no longer called Pimville Queens.

Media were invited only on the Friday before with several unable to attend due to the short notice. The SABC's event held at Piano Hub in the Pimville township was for Johannesburg media only.

The SABC distributed nothing of what was said by whoever at the media event, like cast members, SABC or show executives, or what happened at the media event, afterwards, making it's impossible to report on any of that.

On 13 November, SABC publicist Caroline Phalakatshela, the media liaison person working on Pimville, was asked why Pimville is now starting in 2026 after the SABC said it would start in August. There was no response.

Caroline Phalakatshela was then asked again the same thing again, with again no answer from the SABC after Caroline Phalakatshela said she would "revert ASAP". 

In a supplied quote after the Pimville media launch event, Dichaba Phalatse, SABC Video Entertainment marketing manager, says "At SABC2, we are committed to telling stories that reflect the heartbeat of our people".

"Pimville is not just a telenovela - it is a mirror of our society, capturing its struggles, dreams, and triumphs. We believe this series will deeply resonate with viewers and reaffirm SABC2 as the home of authentic and inspiring local content."

Rashaka Muofhe, Bakwena Productions executive producer, in a prepared quote in the same statement, says "Pimville is a love letter to the township spirit - raw, vibrant, and enduring".

"We wanted to craft a show that not only entertains but also honors [sic] the resilience, beauty, and power of our communities. Bringing this story to life with SABC2 has been a true privilege."

The Pimville cast includes Gail Mabalane, Matli Mohapeloa, Thapelo Mokoena, Keke Mphuthi, Mondli Makhoba, Michelle Mosalakae, Fulu Modibedi, Clementine Mosimane, Jesse Suntele, Eve Rasimeni, Sipho Ndlovu, Mandla Gaduka, Thabo Malema, Charmaine Mtinta, as well as Lillian Dube.

People's Planet channel adds 4-episode Journey of Firsts as Soweto influencer Arthur Magadze explores Cape wine culture

by Thinus Ferreira

The People's Planet (Openview 115) channel has added a new 4-episode series, A Journey of Firsts: From Soweto to Stellies, with the Soweto influencer Mpho (Arthur) Magadze, known as Soweto Hippie, exploring the wine culture of the Cape.

A Journey of Firsts: from Soweto to Stellies, that started 25 November, was produced by Chen Swan and Walla Films for Delheim Estate in Stellenbosch.

It follows Arthur Magadze's one-week experience on a South African wine estate as he spends time immersing himself in the wine and wine-farm activities on Delheim Estate in Stellenbosch, while also taking in the broader Cape lifestyle.

The informative and entertaining series of four half-hour episodes focuses on his immersion into the Cape’s wine culture and its people, the natural beauty of one of South Africa’s leading estates, and the magical processes behind ripening grapes and making wine.

"Making this series saw me flying in an aeroplane for the first time and a first visit to the Cape, a cool place I had dreamed of seeing for as long as I can remember,” says Arthur.

"Stellie's side is too different from Joho. The guys from Delheim put me on – I was there to sip. It was so great to learn more about wine culture, not just the consumption side. I learned so much! The best was to learn that nobody is wrong – I could enjoy wine the way I experience it."

"I will never take another bottle of wine for granted after experiencing what it takes to make one, and I have been sharing my experiences and stories with my community and friends ever since returning to Soweto. This one is definitely for the books. Now I will put people on about wine making and culture."

"Each day I learnt something new about vineyards and winemaking, as well as the different types of wines made on the farm. All these new names became my homies Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Rosé."

A Journey of Firsts was filmed at the start of Delheim’s 2025 harvest season and Arthur was taken under the wings of Delheim directors Victor Sperling and Nora Thiel - the estate’s second-generation custodians - as well as the Delheim team.

From selecting harvest-ready grapes to discovering the intricacies of cellar work, the secrets of wine tasting, and enthralling stories from Delheim’s pioneering wine history, the series provides a compelling behind-the-scenes view of life on a leading Cape wine farm beneath Stellenbosch’s majestic Simonsberg.

"What I'm saying is, once A Journey of Firsts rolls, pour a glass of Delheim wine, kick back and check out the Soweto Hippie doing wine. You’ll love this journey as much as I did."

No wins for Showmax, M-Net, SuperSport or The Rooms Network at the 2025 International Emmys

by Thinus Ferreira

None of the South African entries for the 2025 International Emmy Awards won anything with MultiChoice's Showmax, M-Net, SuperSport and The Rooms Network that were all left empty-handed on Monday night.

None of the South African nominees were good enough to clinch category wins on Monday night in New York City, with 64 nominees across 16 categories, from 26 countries that competed against each other.

Showmax's Afrikaans drama series Koek was a nominee in the drama category, actress Charlotte Hope was a nominee for Showmax's Catch me a Killer in the Best actress category, M-Net's School Ties was a nominee in the documentary category, SuperSport's Chasing the Sun 2 was a nominee in the sports documentary category, while Play Room Live was nominated in the kids factual and entertainment category.

Catch Me a Killer comes from Kowalski Films, LMP 51 and Night Train Media, School Ties is from IdeaCandy, Koek is from Wolflight,  Play Room Live is from Eclipse Television Productions for The Rooms Network's Play Room channel on DStv, with Chasing the Sun 2 was produced by T+W.

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented Emmys to television creators and performers from 9 countries on Monday night at the 53rd International Emmy Awards.

The event was attended by television professionals from around the world and hosted by Live with Kelly and Mark co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.

"In a world that often feels uncertain, television continues to serve as a powerful force for connection across cultures and borders," says Bruce L. Paisner, International Academy President & CEO, in a press release.

"This year’s winners, spanning the globe from Japan and Germany to Australia and Türkiye, reflect the extraordinary diversity of voices and the outstanding programmes and performances that define the very best of global television."

The 16 winners at the 2025 International Emmy Awards are:

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Last Days (Arts Programming)

Oriol Pla (Best Performance by an Actor)

Anna Maxwell Martin (Best Performance by an Actress)

Ludwig (Comedy)

Dispatches: Kill Zone: Inside Gaza (Current Affairs)

Hell Jumper (Documentary)

Rivals (Drama Series)

Bluey (Kids: Animation)

Auf Fritzis Spuren – Wie War Das So In Der DDR? [On Fritz’s Traces – What Was It Like In The GDR?] (Kids: Factual & Entertainment)

Fallen (Kids: Live Action)

Gaza, Search For Life (News)

Shaolin Heroes: Denmark (Non-Scripted Entertainment)

La Médiatrice [The Mediator] (Short-Form Series)

It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football (Sports Documentary)

Deha [The Good & The Bad] (Telenovela)

Lost Boys & Fairies (TV Movie/Mini-Series) 

Die Kantoor as South African version of The Office coming to Showmax and kykNET in early 2026

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African version of the comedy series The Office that is entitled Die Kantoor will be released on MultiChoice's Showmax video streaming on 20 January, according to a general press release that MultiChoice sent to publications "exclusively" on Monday before later sending it to South Africa media. 

The South African version is the 14th international adaptation of The Office and comes after the Australian version was cancelled after just one season last month.

The South African version is in Afrikaans and produced by Rapid Blue.

When kykNET and Showmax announced the Afrikaans adaptation in August 2024, they were asked whether the title would be Die Kantoor. They said more information would only be made available later. Now the title is indeed Die Kantoor.

kykNET and Showmax said Die Kantoor would make its debut in 2025 but that will now be in early 2026.

In April, TVwithThinus asked about the casting, when filming will start, where filming will be, who the executive producers are and over what period principal photography would be taking place.

The response to this was "You're the first media to follow up on this" with a "put you top of the list for when we have something to announce".

In August, kykNET told the media at the 2025 Silwerskermfees film festival that Die Kantoor's casting had been done.

Die Kantoor is filmed in Cape Town. Bennie Fourie, who was a director on and appeared in the Afrikaans mockumentary series Hotel on kykNET is also a writer and director on Die Kantoor.

On Monday, American trade sites published that Mehboob Bawa, Charl Beukes, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Lida Botha, Daniah de Villiers, Gert du Plessis, Sipumziwe Lucwaba and Ilse Oppelt are the actors in Die Kantoor. 

After publication of the American articles about a South African TV production - marked "exclusive" although it originated from a general press release handout - MultiChoice then sent the same general press release to South African media. 

According to this, Albert Pretorius was cast as the office manager of the fictional Deluxe Processed Meats where the series is set.

Tracy-Ann van Rooyen, executive head of content at Showmax, says in a supplied quote in this general press release, "Our very first Showmax Original was a mockumentary, Tali’s Wedding Diary, so reimagining the most iconic mockumentary of them all has been a full circle moment for us".

MultiChoice ups DStv Premium streaming limit for decoder users to 4 in attempt to lure back abandoned customers

by Thinus Ferreira

In a desperate attempt that seems to be too little, too late, Canal+ Africa's MultiChoice is increasing the concurrent streams for DStv Premium subscribers to four - but only until the end of December 2025.

While MultiChoice's DStv subscriber numbers have plunged by the millions over the past three years, the shocking drop in DStv Premium subscribers - its most valuable customers in terms of ARPU (average revenue per user) - has been the most damaging.

DStv Premium subscribers have been vocal that they've had enough of MultiChoice's price gouging and no longer find the DStv Premium price point to deliver on an acceptable value proposition.

They have abandoned MultiChoice for other video viewing options in droves over the past three years, inflicting massive damage as they migrated to other streaming services like Netflix, YouTube and others.

When MultiChoice cut DStv Premium subscribers to just two online streams in March 2022, many fed-up customers felt that was the last straw and started to cancel their DStv subscriptions en masse. By the end of March 2025 MultiChoice had less than a million premium subscribers left.

The two additional streams for DStv Premium decoder-only subscribers until the end of December seem odd and badly conceived.

Firstly, decoder-only subscribers are decoder users because they either don't want or can't use the internet, don't have data or prefer watching using a decoder and satellite dish. 

They're now given something that was ripped away anyway, and no additional actual content. 

The additional streams for DStv Premium subscribers is an attempt by MultiChoice to try and offset the fact that these subscribers - who continue to pay the most - are not getting any content upsell package for free until the end of December in the way that lower-tiered DStv decoder subscribers are getting a one-up tiering until the end of 2025.

On a consumer psychology level, this MultiChoice marketing and promotion exercise makes DStv Premium subscribers extremely resentful and a factor into why they are cancelling.

DStv Premium subscribers, when they see how MultiChoice is giving what they have to pay for - expensively so - essentially for free to lower-tiered subscribers, these customers balk and abandon.

Status is also a factor. 

If golf estate users or owners with premium access and VIP parking spaces suddenly see or perceive that people who have not paid for that are suddenly allowed to park for free or at a lower fee where only they used to be allowed to park, the perceived value and status access they believe that they are getting and pay for, is diluted.   

It all seems very poorly thought out MultiChoice and a failure to really and properly reimagine the value proposition for DStv Premium subscribers and customers who still bother to subscribe and pay for that tier.

It makes more financial sense for DStv Premium decoder subscribers to downgrade immediately to DStv Compact Plus or lower, to then rather get bumped up back to DStv Premium for December 2025 while paying only for the cost of DStv Compact Plus.

While Canal+ and MultiChoice sit with a massive churn problem with DStv Premium subscribers, churn is also eating into its so-called "mid" and "mass"-market base who have also started to abandon MultiChoice and cut the cord.

Canal+, through MultiChoice, has been asked multiple times since October for an interview with new Canal+ Africa boss David Mignot but nothing has come of it.

David Mignot did speak to News24 earlier this month in an interview as well as to BusinessDay, and admitted in the News24 interview that "the company is still bleeding subscribers". David Mignot said the situation is "bad".

Now, to try and lure new customers to replace consumers who are done with DStv, MultiChoice is begrudgingly pumping money into DStv decoder subsidies since 1 November 2025 to lower the price of DStv decoder boxes in retail, hoping that new customers will bite and buy.

MultiChoice's calculation is that hopefully at least some of the new DStv decoder buyers forking out money for a cheaper decoder will turn into ongoing 90-day active DStv subscribers so that MultiChoice's pay-TV numbers can show some improvement when Canal+ first has to report financials in 2026 after having taken over the company.

Byron du Plessis, CEO for pay-TV South Africa at MultiChoice, in a press release sent out earlier this week, said that the promotional activity of moving DStv subscribers from one tier up to the next until the end of December  is part of MultiChoice's "broader plan to improve customer value" for DStv subscribers.

ALSO READ: Nothing for DStv Premium subscribers as MultiChoice one-ups other packages until 2026, increases decoder subsidies to try and boost sagging subs numbers

ALSO READ: Why you should downgrade your DStv Premium subscription by one tier level right now to get it back cheaper in December - and customers on other packages should too

Why you should downgrade your DStv Premium subscription by one tier level right now to get it back cheaper in December - and customers on other packages should too

by Thinus Ferreira

DStv subscribers who want to save money and still get the same content - especially DStv Premium subscribers - should immediately downgrade their subscription to one lower package, so that they get upgraded, automatically, in December to their "usual" package but paying the lower monthly fee.

Yesterday afternoon MultiChoice announced that from 10 November to 31 December 2025, DStv decoder subscribers will be upgraded by one DStv subscription bracket. 

That's very bad news for Dstv Premium subscribers on the highest and most expensive tier since they're not getting an upgrade to additional content, although they're paying the most and are supposedly the most valuable customers and biggest contributors to MultiChoice's ARPU (average revenue per user).

Lower-tiered DStv subscribers are upgraded for free until the end of 2025 by one tier level but do not pay the subscription fee of that level. DStv Premium subscribers are not upgraded and have to keep paying the DStv Premium subscription fee.

Consumers, especially DStv Premium subscribers, should however consider and find out about the possibility of downgrading right now to one lower DStv tier. 

If this is possible, a DStv Premium subscriber who downgrades to DStv Premium Compact Plus, will then be bumped back up to DStv Premium in December - the tier the customer was on, although only paying the monthly fee of DStv Compact Plus.

Similarly, DStv Compact Plus decoder customers who are able to downgrade now to DStv Compact, would be moved back up to DStv Compact Plus but pay the lower fee for DStv Compact. 

This theoretically would work for all DStv package tiers. It makes no sense as consumers who are concerned about their discretionary monthly spending, to keep paying more for "so much more" when you can pay less and then still get the same - at least for December 2025.

Contact MultiChoice immediately and ask a customer service agent on the phone at 011 289 2222 (get ready to wait, since you're going to be on hold for a long time, but be persistent) if you can downgrade immediately by one package level.

Ask if you will be moved up at the end of November automatically, without paying that price.

If you decide to use the online DStv chatbot TUMI - don't! The tabsolutel horrible hing doesn't work and won't help with what you really need to accomplish as a MultiChoice customer. Keep typing "agent", "agent", "agent" until a service agent who is a human, "enters the chat".

Also be prepared: MultiChoice's service agents here are disinterested in helping. Personally, I've never been helped satisfactorily once with this. Also be prepared for them to enter chat conversations and leave, and come back after long waits on every single reply.

These customer service agents are obviously doing multiple chats at the same time. After your responses, you will wait for a very long time. 

And you have to sit and check, or they will close the conversation when you didn't respond. So you have to answer immediately when they respond, although you will wait very long until they suddenly pop back in and go "Are you still there?"

You will be put off by this and be frustrated, so rather do a phone call about your account, and if you do the chat, be prepared to battle, wait and match wits with someone who is actually having multiple typing conversations going on besides yours, at the same time.

By downgrading one tier, if you're able to you will still get the same viewing and DStv content, atl least for one month, although you will be paying less. 

It will take some effort, but why waste money paying for your existing DStv tier, when you can get it at a lower subscription fee?

ALSO READ: Nothing for DStv Premium subscribers as MultiChoice one-ups other packages until 2026, increases decoder subsidies to try and boost sagging subs numbers

ALSO READ: MultiChoice ups DStv Premium streaming limit for decoder users to 4 in attempt to lure back abandoned customers

Actor Jonathan Pienaar dead at 63 due to heart failure

by Thinus Ferreira

The prolific South African actor Jonathan Pienaar died on Monday morning in his sleep in Johannesburg after apparently suffering a type of heart failure.

His ex-wife, Rosana Maya - the couple recently got divorced - in a Facebook post said "Most beautiful man, unique soul… like your wolves, you gave so much for so little… the world is a lesser place without you in it, my sadness too deep. fly with angels my love".

Jonathan Pienaar was a prolific actor and appeared in several South African TV series and films. His health recently deteriorated after he had suffered a heart attack.

Jonathan Pienaar appeared as the character of De Villiers in the second and third seasons of Yizo Yizo on SABC1, was Pietman in the first and second seasons of Triptiek on SABC2, and portrayed Chris Barlow in the two seasons of The Lab on SABC3.

He had roles in numerous other South African TV soaps, ranging from Generations on SABC1 to Binnelanders on kykNET (DStv 144) and Legacy on M-Net (DStv 101).

In TV drama series, Jonathan Pienaar appeared in Wolwedans in die Skemer, Cape Town, Hartland, Heartlines, Hillside, Hopeville, Danger Coast, The Syndicate, Keeping Score, Meeulanders and the second season of Onder Draai die Duiwel Rond, as well as the SABC1 police drama series Task Force and Queen Sono on Netflix.

In comedy Jonathan Pienaar was in the series On the Couch for two seasons as Dr JT.

Other TV series in which he had roles ranged from One Way and Ring of Lies to Roots, kykNET's Song vir Katryn that got another rebroadcast this year, SABC2's Swartwater, TTe Adventures of Sinbad, The Principal, The Queen, Pandjieswinkelstories, The Triangle, Vagrant Queen, Blits-Bulletin, Those Who Can't, To the Ends of the Earth, Crusoe, Unmarried, Vloeksteen, Warrior , The Devil's Mistress, Deutschland 86, Troy: Fall of a City and Wild at Heart.

Jonathan Pienaar had starring roles in various films, ranging from 1987's American Ninja 2:The Confrontation and Scavengers, to It's Murphy's Fault, Dune Surfer, The Tattoo Chase, Impact, Young Survivors, Crazy Safari, Sentinel, The Gospel according to Matthew, Kalahari Harry, Mandela and De Klerk, 2006's Blood Diamond, Fast & Frantic, Black Venus, The Lost Future, 2011's Ek Lief Jou, Inside Story, Soldier of Destiny, Shotgun Garfunkel, Bustin' Chops: The Movie, Aalwyntyd, 2016's Lord Jones is Dead, The Whale Caller, Snaaks Genoeg, Broken Darkness, The Killing Floor, and the made-for-TV movies Empire of the Sharks , 6-headed Shark Attack and Monster Island.

Jonathan Pienaar also appeared in the films Fried Barry, The Last Days of American Crime, The Fragile King, Street Trash and 2025's Morbid: A Necromurder Story.

Nothing for DStv Premium subscribers as MultiChoice one-ups other packages until 2026, increases decoder subsidies to try and boost sagging subs numbers

by Thinus Ferreira

DStv Premium subscribers - the customer tier that Canal+ Africa's MultiChoice has seen massive problems and a drop in subscriber numbers in - are losing out and getting nothing out of MultiChoice's decision to one-up other DStv subscribers to a higher content tier until 2026.

Loath to do it, MultiChoice is also going back to the decoder subsidies well in an attempt to try and juice DStv decoder subscriber numbers in the time it has left before Canal+ has to report on MultiChoice's subscriber numbers.

Until 31 December, MultiChoice is giving only DStv subscribers with a decoder access to the TV channels available on one upper tier. 

That's bad news for DStv Premium subscribers who are paying for the top-tier package but getting nothing in addition - adding fuel to the fire of the consumer psychology of why DStv Premium subscribers keep abandoning MultiChoice en masse.

On Monday, MultiChoice sent a press release first to certain website publications, and then later the same press release to others, that it is giving Dstv decoder customers access to the TV channels of one higher-tiered package between 10 November and 31 December.

MultiChoice absolutely abhors DStv decoder subsidies and has told investors and stakeholders for years during annual financial results presentations how the traditional pay-TV operator would tro ty decrease decoder subsidies.

With the massive plunge in DStv subscriber numbers, Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice's latest plan to try and turn around plunging subscriber numbers, is to flood the market with new DStv decoder subsidies.

Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice hope that the lowered DStv decoder prices at the point of sale will be able to stall, and possibly even stabilise or the plunging DStv subscriber base in South Africa as well as across Africa.

The subscriber numbers might even start to rise again due to MultiChoice's latest decoder subsidies which will look bad on the next balance sheet come reporting time, but might stop the bleeding of subscribers on the other side.

MultiChoice has enacted DStv decoder subsidies in South Africa, as well as the Rest of Africa (RoA), which means cheaper physical DStv decoders. 

Once bought - cheaper - there is a likelihood that MultiChoice can translate those decoder sales into longer-term and 90-day active DStv subscribers.

MultiChoice says it has cut - meaning a bigger subsidy - DStv decoder prices since 1 November.

MultiChoice was intitially supposed to report half-year numbers this week on 12 November, but due to the Canal+ takeover that requirement from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has now fallen away.

Since MultiChoice doesn't have to reveal DStv subscriber numbers to investors this week, it now looks like MultiChoice and Canal+ are playing for time and using the reprieve to try and boost subscriber uptake over the coming months.

Trying to rake in potential new subs and those who abandoned DStv as churn through cheaper decoders, could help MultiChoice's subscriber numbers look somewhat better or more stabilised when the first reporting time rolls around in 2026. 

Byron du Plessis, CEO for pay-TV South Africa at MultiChoice, said the one-upping for November and December is part of MultiChoice's "broader plan to improve customer value" for DStv subscribers.

It's unclear how this broader plan to improve customer value yields better customer value to DStv Premium subscribers - supposedly MultiChoice's most valuable consumers and biggest contributor to ARPU (average revenue per unit). 

In fact, it's foreseeable that there might very well be DStv Premium subscribers who decide to cancel their service permanently, or decide to downgrade during November for December and never return to DStv Premium again, when they see that it is only lower-tiered DStv subscriber packages getting upsell-benefits for free.

"What we’re doing with our Upsize campaign is part of a bigger value reset at DStv," said Byron du Plessis, in a prepared quote in the press release.

"We're focused on making DStv more accessible and rewarding, with affordability and customer experience at the heart of our strategy," said Byron du Plessis.

This will also sound bad for DStv Premium subscribers who get no discernible and visible improvement as subscribers in either affordability or customer experience.

MultiChoice apparently had some type of an online store but it's not known how that worked or what was sold through it. MultiChoice says "DStv is relaunching its online store later this month".

According to Byron du Plessis, "DStv and Canal+'s combined scale makes it possible to give customers across Africa more choice and better value than ever before".

ALSO READ: Why you should downgrade your DStv Premium subscription by one tier level right now - and customers on other packages should too

ALSO READ: MultiChoice ups DStv Premium streaming limit for decoder users to 4 in attempt to lure back abandoned customers

VIA's Speel met Vuur TV chef Mynie Steffens dies after helicopter crash in Eastern Cape

by Thinus Ferreira

Mynie Steffens, the TV chef of the Afrikaans lifestyle cooking show Speel met Vuur on VIA (DStv 147) died on Monday morning near Patensie in the Eastern Cape province in a helicopter crash. She was 43.

The helicopter was busy spraying crops on a farm. Mynie Steffens was the co-presenter of Speel met Vuur together with Aldi van der Walt. Aldi van der Walt was also the director of the TV series.

According to Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli, Eastern Cape police spokesperson, the helicopter crash happened just before 8:00 this morning.

The female crop duster pilot died on impact after the Robinson helicopter struck power lines and crashed on the Roodegrond farm while spraying crops at the farm outside Patensie. An inquest docket has been opened.

Mynie Steffens was the only person in the helicopter. She got her flying licence in 2022.

Exec Ops, in a Facebook post, said Exec Ops, Relay EMS and other emergency services responded to the incident.

"Due to the sensitive nature of the incident and ongoing investigations, no further details can be shared at this stage. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this tragedy."

Sisa Majola, South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) spokesperson, said the Accidents and Incidents Investigation Division confirmed that a Robinson R22 helicopter with registration ZS-DLF crashed at a citrus farm in Patensie today.

"The pilot was the sole occupant on board, and was fatally injured. The pilot was conducting a pest control operational flight when the helicopter struck power lines and crashed."

"The helicopter itself was substantially damaged due to impact force. Investigators have been dispatched to the site where a preliminary report will be published on the Sacaa website 30 days from the day of this accident."

Canal+ Africa boss David Mignot again hogs the limelight as SuperSport adds CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 coverage from Morocco with various language options

Thinus Ferreira

New Canal+ Africa boss David Mignot again hogged the limelight on Thursday afternoon in SuperSport's Studio 6 in Randburg when he hobnobbed with CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe during SuperSport's announcement that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 will be broadcast on MultiChoice's DStv with multiple language options.

Thursday's SuperSport in-studio announcement derby was David Mignot's second big public appearance following his meet-and-greet last month in Namibia with the country's president where MultiChoice debut a pandering profile piece of Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

Oddly, and somewhat hilariously, Rendani Ramovha, former SuperSport CEO and now Canal+ Africa director of sport content for English and Portuguese-speaking Africa, was pushed out of photos on Thursday with SuperSport only issuing media with signing and posing photos of David Mignot and Dr Patrice Motsepe.

Canal+ is taking credit for the CAF clinching, noting that it's Canal+ that will show the CAF Afcon 2025 from Morocco from 21 December "in French, English, Portuguese and indigenous languages, following SuperSport's deal for English-speaking broadcast rights of the 35th edition of the tournament".

CAF Afcon 2025 won't be made available on MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax. MultiChoice will run a dedicated SuperSport Afcon TV channel on the DStv line-up in December.

David Mignot, in a prepared quote, says "Our newly-formed merger with MultiChoice has already unlocked opportunities and benefits for our customers".

"This year’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 is a great demonstration of the power and potential of this common ambition: bringing together our expertise to offer unprecedented coverage."

"Moreover, broadcasting this competition in different languages is a strong way to build closeness with our viewers. For all these reasons, our subscribers will be part of the most spectacular celebration of African football."

Dr Patrice Motsepe's drop-in quote reads: "This is an exciting day for CAF and for African football".

"When the CAF Africa Cup of Nations takes place in Morocco in December, Africans everywhere - on the continent and across the diaspora - will be watching with pride. Millions will follow the games on television, celebrating the best that African football has to offer."

Rendani Ramovha in a supplied quote says "We are especially proud to be able to bring the story of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 live to all our viewers in English and Portuguese-speaking Sub-Saharan African territories".

"SuperSport has been the preferred choice for millions of passionate fans across the continent, and this tournament won’t be different, as we will have a dedicated SuperSport AFCON channel."

According to SuperSport, in Nigeria viewers will be able to hear coverage in English or Pidgin. Swahili will be available in East African countries like Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. 

South Africa, Angola and Mozambique will get a Portuguese option on SuperSport. South Africa will add a isiZulu and Setswana language options besides English and Portuguese commentary.