Revived Top Billing return to TV a no-show in March without explanation, SABC says lifestyle magazine show 'on SABC3 remains in development'

by Thinus Ferreira

After the SABC announced in late 2025 that a revived Top Billing would start as a new weekly show during March 2026 on SABC3, that didn't happen and the public broadcaster doesn't want to explain why.

In November 2025, the SABC announced that the iconic lifestyle magazine show Top Billing would be returning to SABC3 from March 2026 with several of the former famous presenters, six years after it was cancelled in October 2019.

The revived Top Billing is produced by Cardova Productions.

In November the SABC said that Top Billing is coming back with "a new chapter that will see the show back on air with a reunion special on 27 November on SABC3, followed by weekly episodes from March 2026".

The new "weekly episodes from March 2026" have however not come to pass and the SABC has been silent about why Top Billing isn't back this month, about the delay with the transmission or TX date, and when it will now start.

Caroline Phalakatshela, SABC publicist, in response to a media query about Top Billing, told TVwithThinus "The SABC confirms that the return of Top Billing on SABC3 remains in development, with final production and contractual processes currently being concluded".

"As these processes are being finalised, the broadcaster will confirm the official broadcast date once all requirements have been completed. The SABC looks forward to bringing the iconic lifestyle programme back to audiences on SABC3 and appreciates the strong interest from viewers and the media."

ALSO READ: SABC revives Top Billing with Cardova produced lifestyle magazine show back from March 2026 with former faces, adding a shorts format, looking at doing TikTok presenter search

Why M-Net's Carte Blanche is exiting its Ferndale office space and switching to a work-from-home staff format

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net's long-running weekly investigative current affairs programme Carte Blanche is exiting its office space in Johannesburg, with the show produced by Combined Artistic Productions that has decided to switch to a work-from-home format.

Combined Artistic Productions is giving up its office space in Oak Avenue in Johannesburg at the end of March. 

What DStv subscribers of Canal+'s MultiChoice however see, and are familiar with on Sunday evenings on M-Net (DStv 101), is the beautiful blue-hue Carte Blanche set, located at Stark Studios, which remains in place. 

"Combined Artists will be vacating its rented Ferndale offices at the end of this month as the building has been sold by its owner," John Webb, Carte Blanche executive producer, told TVwithThinus in response to a media query about the building move.

"We considered finding alternative office space but, given the experience gained during the pandemic and to improve operational efficiencies, we’ve decided instead to return to a work-from-home model."

"As our internal team is small and we rely on freelance producers and other technical contractors for the bulk of our content, a fixed office space is no longer a necessity."

Since Canal+ took over MultiChoice, all local programming is at risk, with Canal+ executives saying they're going with a "fine-comb through everything". 

It's not yet publicly known what Canal+'s plans are for channels like M-Net and premium local programming like Carte Blanche, and if channels and shows like these will continue.

The M-Net channel will celebrate its 40th anniversary in October, with the 37-year-old Carte Blanche as the channel's longest-running local show.

First HBO Harry Potter series official teaser released as Canal+'s MultiChoice and M-Net have still not secured it for DStv

by Thinus Ferreira

On Wednesday evening HBO released the first official teaser for its upcoming new Harry Potter series, entitled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone that will debut over Christmas this year on its HBO Max video streaming service.

Canal+'s MultiChoice and M-Net (DStv 101) have so far failed to secure this series, set to run for a decade, for DStv subscribers in South Africa.

It means that currently, no DStv subscribers anywhere in Africa would be able to see the Harry Potter TV series when it starts in December 2026. 

Canal+ and M-Net have failed to extend the output deal that expired at the end of December 2025 with Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) that existed for decades for Warner Bros TV and film studios content like TV series and films, as well as HBO content for M-Net.

It means that no HBO series or Warner films are currently available on the M-Net channel or the M-Net Movies channels on DStv for subscribers, with Canal+ that is busy with aggressive cost-cutting at MultiChoice.

Sky in the United Kingdom as well as other pay-TV operators worldwide, secured the upcoming Harry Potter series over a year ago, but in March 2026 MultiChoice and M-Net have nothing.

J.B. Perrette, the CEO and president of global streaming and games at WBD, has repeatedly referred to the upcoming Harry Potter TV series as "the streaming event of the decade".

During a 2026 press event in London, Perrette further amplified this, saying that when the first season of the Harry Potter series starts in December, it would be "the biggest streaming event in history and arguably in streaming, period".

So far, Canal+'s MultiChoice and M-Net will not make South African pay-TV subscribers part of this global viewing event who will be excluded. 

Ironically, Canal+'s MultiChoice and M-Net will very likely be directly pushing many people who are not going to wait to see it, to pirate episodes of Harry Potter in order to watch it immediately in the way M-Net used to promote HBO's "Express from the US" content.

The official teaser of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone series was released on Wednesday evening, as part of a press event that HBO held in London for media.

Starting with the first of seven books of JK Rowling, it introduces the three central characters of Harry (Dominic McLaughlin), Hermione Granger (Arabella Stanton) and Ron Weasley (Alastair Stout) as 11-year-olds on the train to their first year at the Hogwarts wizarding school.

Scenes also include Harry meeting the half-giant Hagrid (Nick Frost), the introduction of Hogwarts' Sorting Hat and Harry's his first Quidditch game as Gryffindor seeker.

John Lithgow was cast as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, with Janet McTeer as Professor Minerva McGonagall and Paapa Essiedu as Professor Severus Snape. 

Filming takes place at Warner Bros.'s Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire, England, since July 2025 on the sets that were used for the Harry Potter movies.

ALSO READ: HBO Harry Potter series cast Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout as Harry, Hermione and Ron

Trace has a channel rebrand event for Trace Ngoma TV channel on DStv, MultiChoice CEO notes 'the evolution of a brand'

by Thinus Ferreira

On Wednesday night, TRACe held some type of launch event for its rebranded Trace Ngoma (DStv 326) TV channel on Canal+'s MultiChoice DStv platform, although it failed to tell media and journalists covering TV anything about it or that it would take place.

Trace rebranded Trace Africa to Trace Ngoma in December 2025, and now, three months later, decided to have some type of a rebranding launch event for it.

In December, Olivier Laouchez, co-founder and Trace CEO, in a statement, said "Trace Ngoma is where music meets identity. It amplifies the rhythms and stories that define South African culture and gives young people a space to connect and feel seen".

On Wednesday, Trace Southern Africa had the cheek to ask on its social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter, to ask "If you are not here where are you?!" - apparently too stupid to realise that media trying to cover TRACE and not aware of, and not told beforehand that something would happen, will be even more put off and care less about the channel in response to TRACE's basically non-existent media liaison efforts.

Somebody who was invited and who was told about the Trace Ngoma event was Willington Ngwepe, MultiChoice South Africa CEO and DStv Media Sales.

In a video recorded on Wednesday night by someone who attended, Willington Ngwepe is seen saying "It's a very special evening for us. Today we're celebrating the evolution of a brand. This brand has been a very stable offering on our linear broadcasting offering on DStv".

Willington Ngwepe noted "a partnership of over 23 years" that he sees "getting stronger and stronger for another 23 years" and said Trace is becoming "an anchor of the creative digital economy".

Olivier Laouchez, likely also spoke but it's not known what he said.

At the event, Trace apparently also talked about some type of app it has, but information about what was said about it wasn't shared.

Three months in, industry observers and advertisers have said they're still unsure of what Trace Ngoma is now and why the rebrand happened, with very little reporting industry reporting about it.

ALSO READ: Trace renames Trace Africa music channel to Trace Ngoma

Angry MultiChoice execs sidelined by Canal+ frustrated and fearful for the(ir) future after decision-making moved to Paris - report

by Thinus Ferreira

Frustrated MultiChoice executives, sitting in Randburg in Johannesburg and who used to have final approval on decisions, say they're fearful about the future and their futures, after new owner Canal+ swooped in and moved the final decision-making function to Canal+'s own executives in Paris.

In a new report by Africa Intelligence, MultiChoice executives are quoted as saying they're frustrated and angry about having been sidelined in the decision-making process regarding content and other decisions since Canal+ acquired MultiChoice in September 2025.

According to the report, several MultiChoice executives who used to be in the loop, explained that they were not even so much as consulted recently before the publication of Canal+'s financial results for 2025 that now includes MultiChoice.

Angry MultiChoice executives are blaming Maxime Saada, Canal+ CEO, and David Mignot, Canal+ Africa managing director, for the way that things inside MultiChoice have deteriorated and broken down.

Meanwhile discontent under MultiChoice executives are growing, as well as producers and content creators, with MultiChoice staff telling producers that projects, budgets and approvals are all delayed and stacking up at Canal+ headquarters in Paris where Canal+ either can't or won't make decisions and do final sign-offs.

According to Africa Intelligence, the new Canal+ Africa management structure includes the former MultiChoice CEO, Calvo Mawela who has been kept on as Canal+ Africa president; Hennie Visser as director of Africa operations, and Byron du Plessis who was MultiChoice SA CEO, as a regional manager.

Aziz Diallo now oversees French-speaking Africa, Kemi Omotosho is now responsible for Nigeria, Retief Tromp is looking after English-speaking countries outside of South Africa, while Glauco Ferreira is overseeing the Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa.

Fuming MultiChoice and SuperSport executives say their hands are tied and they can no longer make decisions, are isolated and have no final say with anything anymore, and have to send decisions to Paris and then wait approval from there.

 Not only are these executives frustrated, they're also wondering about their futures within what used to be MultiChoice or Canal+ Africa going forward.

Canal+ is shuttering MultiChoice's loss-making streamer Showmax by 30 April, and while neither staff involved with Showmax, or within MultiChoice can he retrenched, Canal+ is now going to offer voluntary severance packages to try and get rid of workers who might want out.

According to the agreement Canal+ signed with South Africa's Competition Commission, no MultiChoice workers can be retrenched for a period of three years. 

What is however happening, is that people who work for service providers and production companies making local content for DStv channels like M-Net, kykNET, Mzansi Magic and Africa Magic are losing jobs.

This is because the volume of content that MultiChoice used to commission for these channels are decreasing due to Canal+'s cost-cutting, and because of the end of Showmax as a separate platform.

TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. On yet another M-Net PR failure and failed promises about Mzansi Magic's Big Brother and nothing being done to properly communicate with media trying to cover it

by Thinus Ferreira

Colour me baffled, disappointed and jaded (yet again!) by the latest just-concluded season of M-Net's Big Brother Mzansi: Bazozwa on Mzansi Magic - once again in my book a complete failure in anything resembling passable communication and proper MultiChoice PR in liaising on a bare bones, adequate way with the press trying, and supposed to, cover this show. 

After raising the issue(s) with M-Net's terrible and non-existent PR around Big Brother Mzansi directly with M-Net's PR people in 2025 - in emails, as well as in-person - nothing happened, and nothing changed for the 6th season of Big Brother Mzansi on DStv, again produced by Red Pepper Pictures.

After meeting with M-Net publicists Suzaan Keyter and Portia Hlongwane, responsible for Mzansi Magic publicity, and despite promises that all of the issues raised would be addressed and not happen again for the upcoming season, absolutely nothing - and I mean nothing changed or improved in the slightest.

Neither Portia Hlongwane, nor the Playmakers PR company, came to the party in any improved way the past few months in terms of starting to communicate in a dynamic and timeous way with media who want to, and would cover Big Brother Mzansi as a local DStv reality show. 

And that is after discussions about what is wrong and why, and after promises that there would be discussions with the PR company (which, it turns out, also apparently never happened).

Why is it so impossible, and seemingly so difficult and too high a bar, for M-Net to actually communicate with media and to build and sustain and have a media liaison relationship about a show like Big Brother Mzansi and about what is happening around it?

This is not rocket science. 

It's as easy as picking up a phone and calling someone, using Whatsapp, emailing someone, asking them if they got an email, suggesting stories and taking the few minutes to reach out and suggest collaborations in terms of articles, sending notifications about what would be happening and about talking - none of which Mzansi Magic seems capable of doing, or seems to want to do with Big Brother Mzansi with media who have been covering it for years.

Instead of griping about Canal+ Africa paying people for PR who are not doing what they're supposed to be doing - or simply doing nothing - imagine if journalists and publications did reporting and coverage and articles about Big Brother Mzansi because they actually heard from M-Net and Playmakers about what is going to happen, what is happening, about story ideas, about what media interactions would be taking place, and afterwards about what was said there?

Similar to 2023 and before when M-Net left media (myself and others included) completely out of the loop regarding Big Brother Mzansi, again did the same in 2024, and again did nothing in 2025, it all happened and played out PR-wise (despite assured promises that it wouldn't) exactly the same again in late 2025 and 2026 with the just-concluded season.

Cue the same problems and non-communication, about the exact same gripes that M-Net PR promised and promised it would rectify (and never does).

After the 6th season launch and press event in the form of a house-party reunion early December 2025 where Shirley Adonisi, channel director of general entertainment for Mzansi Magic spoke, I asked Portia Hlongwane yet again afterwards what happened, since media including myself, were not even told it would be taking place.

How to report on something you didn't even get a notification or a heads-up would happen, so as to plan possible coverage? What was said there by Shirley Adonisi and others? 

Of course, there was once again an "overnight stay" in January 2026 for some media and content creators, the season's premiere night in January, and the Big Brother Mzansi live finale and winner walk-out on Sunday with a "watch party" organised by Mzansi Magic.

The final was followed by yet another media day where some of the housemates and winner spoke. Again: No heads-up from M-Net or Playmakers about any of this at all.

What exactly do M-Net and Mzansi Magic want from media trying to cover something like Big Brother Mzansi? And what exactly are those responsible for publicity for it, doing - and not doing - to try and get these desired outcomes from media?

As if it hasn't yet been said in the past, and in-person: What is done (and not being done) isn't working.

The very easiest and most ridiculous thing that M-Net publicity people and PR agencies, tasked with and paid to Communicate about Big Brother Mzansi can do, is so preposterously simple, and yet seemingly so difficult. And it's the title of a Carly Rae Jepsen song:

Call Me. Maybe.

ALSO READ: Sweet Guluva wins as Mzansi Magic's latest Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo season on DStv ends with the same sorely deficient M-Net PR it began with

ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. Yet another Big Brother Mzansi. Yet another big M-Net and MultiChoice media fail

TV REVIEW. NFVF's badly done 19th SAFTAs mirrors a haphazard film biz in crisis

by Thinus Ferreira

The National Film and Video Foundation's delayed, then rushed, then badly done broadcast of the 19th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) was an embarrassment to the country's TV and film industry.

Yet, perhaps, in all its faults and haphazard on-air mistakes as it stumbles along, it needs to be this way, since it ironically, and unintentionally, mirrors a troubled and haphazard local film biz deeply mired in crisis.

Saturday night's 19th SAFTAs, organised by the taxpayer-funded NFVF and supposed to uplift and showcase the film and TV industry, showed SABC2 and Mzansi Magic viewers on DStv how the industry wasn't able to pull off a decent live broadcast ceremony about itself.

Once again produced by Black Swan Media and staged at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg with a SuperSport outside broadcast unit, the 19th SAFTAs - which was supposed to end at 23:00, then envisioned 23:25, and then 23:45, ran long over what its length was supposed to be, eventually ending a few minutes before midnight.

By that time, capable host Anele Mgudlwa was really just speaking to the camera after the majority of the in-attendance audience had abandoned the room for the open bar and left a sea of empty seats.

Multiple times she had to call for whoever had to appear next from behind the stage, to hurry up. 

For a ceremony themed "One story, one industry, one future" the TV awards show story was often interrupted - including a break for a "live Lotto draw" (but only seen on one channel), interrupting the flow, narrative and tempo of the ceremony.

In what could have been a big celebration of the 50th anniversary of television in South Africa was reduced to a short insert, which could have been and should have been longer.

Meanwhile, the run-over-time night was padded with unnecessary inserts like "Afrikaans is 100" (which was last year) and felt out of place, especially when you need to shave off time. 

The 19th SAFTAs had Onke Dumeko as acting NFVF and acting SAFTAs committee chairperson, Relebogile Mabotja as executive producer, with Bruce Townsend as show producer and Eugene Naidoo as show director. Azania Muendane was creative producer, with Sive Black Rose Nkukwana as head of content.

An uninspiring square-themed stage design with a blocky, modular stage done by JDMUnlimited felt plain and boring - wasn't it possible to do more or be more inventive with a type of homage to 50 years of TV past, and future? 

The main mic was one length and those too short and too tall had no choice but to try do their best. 

Built-in irony abounded: Golden Horns were handed out to several recently cancelled and stopped shows. Recipients for shows from e'.tv's Scandal! and Kelders van Geheime, to the Showmax Original Youngins had the somewhat cringe-worthy task of thanking the very channels, platforms and people that actually ended them. 

While going to stage was a tribute to success and peer recognition, it also made the 19th SAFTAs feel like a eulogy for a very troubled industry.

As usual, fixable sound errors remained persistent throughout, as was the litany of small white squares with numbers on the backrests, showcasing empty chairs all through the night - even in the front row. 

So many film students with their own best garb, for a R100 gift card and a small meal would sit in an overflow room patiently, line up in a queue, and be willing to be sped to empty chairs as seat-fillers. Their biggest prize would actually be for the moment to sit for a few minutes next to a soap or film star they recognised and adore. So why isn't this done?

If floor managers for recorded shows ably fill all seats to make a show look popular and desirable to recipients of the illusion - the viewers watching - why isn't the floor manager at the SAFTAs doing this and the issue of many visible empty seats never solved?

Category presenters mangled the pronunciation of names across the spectrum, which they were seemingly never audibly told how to say, while several struggled to read. Multiple category winners were no-shows without explanation.

If category winners are organised and shipped in to be present, why the lack of columns on the Excel spreadsheet and check boxes on it with "presenter got a voicenote with names pronunciation", "presenter sent back voicenote audible test", "presenter passed"? It's so easy within the show production actionables to do. And yet ...

When the very people the NFVF and SAFTAs deem "fit" to be on stage to "showcase" and represent the industry can't get each other's names and shows right, what message is the NFVF and the industry sending to the industry and viewers? Because it comes across as one of carelessness.

The In Memoriam segment was done properly this year at the 19th SAFTAs.

All names of the dearly departed - although this segment to honour the dead was commercialised with a sponsor - were shown and legible. 

It was only marred by behind-the-scenes audio once again filtering through and that was audible alongside the song being sung. Who said : "No I didn't get anything"? Why wasn't that mic muted?

Speaking of sound, the echo viewers heard through the night is because the SAFTAs sound team was unable to properly separate the house mix (the sound attendees heard inside the venue) with the sound send as broadcast playout. 

It's something which actually "helped" since the playout audio channel apparently was muted sometimes, or something else was wrong, and then all viewers got was the muffled house sound from, for instance, a handheld mic that at least came through to viewers as well.

On almost every nominees introduction clip, the whole last part was muted with no sound. Bad mute button timing? 

A wall card graphic on the stage video wall would, for instance, read "Frank Opperman. Best actor in a TV". Who is supposed to check and double-check all of these sloppy, unnecessary mistakes like that the word "drama" is missing, and why isn't it done?

Host Anele deserves kudos for doing as well as she could to lift the weight of a live TV broadcast so wieldy not even Atlas can really carry it alone. 

As best she could, it was fully left up to her to be "bad cop" and interrupt and get some people off stage, or to move them, like the one Lifetime Achievement award recipient, Magic Hlatshwayo, who kept going and who she had to somehow stop.

Multiple times, Anele had to wrangle the ill-fitted Gayton McKenzie, South Africa's minister of arts, culture and sports, who kept buzzing back on stage like a pesky mosquito you can't quite get rid of. 

Gayton McKenzie's presence and rhetoric were superfluous and vacuous. 

Cut out of the 19th SAFTAs ceremony and reduced to a one-minute recorded monodribble, it would have saved a lot of time and prevented his jarring, inappropriate jokes that didn't land and rambling remarks.

Probably Anele's most pointed and best barb of the night to the limelight-craving McKenzie, after some constant babbling and the umpteenth time of him spouting vapid promises to an industry tired of government rhetoric and no action, was: "I gave him that SAFTA for the lifetime achievement of promises. Promises, promises".

Even in the end credits with spelling mistakes and typos, viewers got "Nicola van Niekerk" at MultiChoice as part of the SAFTAs committee, and then again as "Nicola Auret" later as MultiChoice's executive head of programming. It's the same person. Who checks these things? And shouldn't the SAFTAs know? 

Do all these SAFTAs-involved people in the end-credits actually talk to each other? Sadly, it doesn't come across that way.

The 19th SAFTAs once again made MultiChoice, M-Net, the SABC, e.tv, TV channels like kykNET, Mzansi Magic, and streamers like Netflix look bad - and this is when they're supposedly working together on the SAFTAs.

Anele closed the broadcast, noting, "We all worry about how we're going to keep the industry afloat. Let's be an audience. The best thing we can do is support each other. Let's watch each other's projects." 

Perhaps a wounded industry needs a flawed SAFTAs broadcast. Perhaps, sadly, it's what the industry and viewers deserve.

Perhaps viewers need to see that the NFVF can't do the SAFTAs better because it is simply mirroring an industry on life support, battling to just keep breathing.

ALSO READ: Cancelled shows win at NFVF's embarrassingly bad 19th South African Film and Television Awards (full winners list)

Canal+ to end Showmax subscriptions on 1 April 2026, will axe streamer on 30 April, as content moves to DStv Stream and later Canal+ app

by Thinus Ferreira

Canal+'s Showmax will end subscriptions for its doomed video streaming service from 1 April 2026 as Showmax content will temporarily be moved to DStv Stream, and later Canal+'s app, also known as Canal+.

Showmax will stop on 30 April 2026.

Earlier this month, Canal+ announced that it's ending the loss-making Showmax that it said could have destroyed MultiChoice.

Banks like Absa, Capitec, FNB and Discovery Bank have all stopped selling Showmax vouchers. 

Capitec has stopped all Showmax vouchers, while the others have stopped all three and six months vouchers but still offer one-month vouchers.

MultiChoice launched Showmax in August 2015. 

Showmax was relaunched in February 2024 in partnership with Comcast's NBCUniversal and Sky in the United Kingdom but immediately turned into a bottomless money pit as it failed to reach the lofty targets of aggressive subscriber growth that MultiChoice executives promised investors before the relaunch.

After its takeover of MultiChoice, Maxime Saada, Canal+ CEO, said the new owner realised that Showmax is a massive MultiChoice financial loss and failure that Canal+ had to get rid of. 

NBCUniversal has a 30% stake in Showmax and Canal+ has refused to say what it is paying NBCUniversal to end the disastrous partnership in the streaming service venture.

Some Showmax Originals have quietly been rebranded and will transition to some of M-Net's linear TV channels like M-Net, kykNET and Mzansi Magic, for instance the second season of the Canal+ and MultiChoice co-production Spinners that was filmed in Cape Town and specifically created for a Showmax audience. 

Wura, The Nigerian adaptation of Mzansi Magic's The River telenovela has for instance been rebranded as an Africa Magic Original from its fourth season that will debut on DStv's  Africa Magic Showcase and Africa Magic Family TV channels on 30 March and no longer on Showmax.     

"Showmax is starting a new chapter and your favourite shows are getting a shiny new home on DStv Stream. Even better, they'll be joining a bigger world of entertainment, all in one place," MultiChoice said on Wednesday evening in a message to Showmax subscribers.

This is, however, not the real new "one place". 

After the move of Showmax content to DStv DStream, the content will be moved again, once Canal+ rolls out its own Canal+ video streaming service in South Africa and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa within a few months.

31 March 2026 will be the very last day for subscribers to renew a Showmax subscription or to redeem any outstanding vouchers. From 1 April 2026, absolutely no new Showmax subscriptions and renewals will be available or work.

Existing Showmax subscribers will be able to continue watching content "as usual, until your subscription ends, or until the end of April 2026 - whichever comes first".

MultiChoice said in response to a media query that the "Showmax services closes on 30 April".

According to MultiChoice "Showmax Originals and more will be available to DStv Compact and DStv Premium satellite and streaming-only customers via the DStv Stream app", and noted that "more movies and series will be added over the coming weeks".

MultiChoice noted that "The stories that defined Showmax are not disappearing. Instead, they are finding a new home on DStv Stream, where a dedicated Showmax section inside the app brings together many of Showmax’s most acclaimed originals and fan favourites alongside the full live streaming experience available on DStv’s standalone streaming service".

"Showmax Originals and more will be available on DStv Compact and DStv Premium packages exclusively on DStv Stream."

"This move ensures that the award-winning African series remain widely available after the current Showmax service closes on 30 April, now within the broader DStv streaming experience."

In a prepared statement, Nomsa Philiso, director of content for general entertainment English and Portuguese-speaking territories at MultiChoice, said "Series like The Wife, Youngins, Devilsdorp, and Adulting, along with productions from Nigeria, Kenya and across the continent, were created through collaboration between MultiChoice’s content teams and local producers. That commitment to African storytelling does not change".

Besides the transition of Showmax content to the Canal+ app, Canal+ Africa is also working to extend the existing partnership with Netflix in Francophone Africa and to roll out the bundling of Netflix with DStv in South Africa and the rest of English-speaking sub-Saharan Africa.

In Francophone Africa, Canal+ and Netflix have a partnership since July 2025, whereby Netflix and access to it is bundled into certain premium Canal+ subscriptions at no extra cost, which is what Canal+'s plan is to do for MultiChoice's English-speaking territories as well.

No, Checkers Sixty60 doesn't deliver by Airwolf helicopter and along the whole West Coast as ARB orders TikTok ad pulled

by Thinus Ferreira

One flight of fantasy that isn't true is Checkers' Sixty60 delivery ad on TikTok that shows it delivering orders by turquoise Airwolf helicopter to houseboats along the whole West Coast. 

South Africa's Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) upheld a complaint after a consumer complained about "a floating house or houseboat situated on turquoise water somewhere on the West Coast".

In Checkers' TikTok ad, individuals are shown relaxing on the deck and in the water. During the scene, the occupants use the Checkers Sixty60 app to place a grocery order. The advertisement then shows a helicopter arriving to deliver the groceries to the boat".

The complainant who lives in St Helena Bay was upset and said Checkers "in fact do not deliver to 'somewhere in the West Coas. I am in St. Helena Bay, and they will not deliver to me, which is somewhere in the West Coast. They are also not offering helicopter delivery".

Checkers explained to the ARB that the ad formed part of its "Summer Delivered" campaign and intentionally used visual hyperbole, nostalgia, and creative licence.

"The depiction of a helicopter delivering groceries to a floating house is not intended to represent Sixty60’s actual delivery methods or geographic coverage," Checkers said, "but rather to convey the brand’s playful, aspirational tone".

Checkers said that "the imagery of a helicopter delivery and the ocean setting serves as a metaphorical storytelling device".

According to the retailer, the phrase "Summer delivered anywhere" is "figurative language designed to evoke the emotional freedom and spontaneity associated with summer, not a literal claim that Sixty60 delivers to all locations along the West Coast or to offshore environments." 

"The phrase is meant to evoke the emotional essence of freedom and joy... rather than as a comprehensive claim of service availability."

Checkers argued that a reasonable consumer "would not interpret the advertisement as promising helicopter delivery or delivery to remote coastal areas".

"Delivery is clearly disclosed within the Sixty60 app, ensuring that consumers have accurate information before placing an order" and that "there was no intention to mislead consumers. The advertisement contains no pricing, operational guarantees or factual claims about delivery coverage. Instead, it relies on exaggeration and nostalgic references, including the use of a Bell 222 helicopter reminiscent of the 1980s television series Airwolf, to create a humorous, light‑hearted summer narrative."

"There was no intent to mislead. The advertisement employs imaginative visuals that are widely accepted in advertising as a means to convey brand ethos and emotional connection."

The ARB said Checkers' helicopter delivery in the ad "is so far removed from ordinary grocery delivery (especially in the South African context) that its use in the advertisement is clearly hyperbolic".

"The advertiser’s explanation that the scene is a nostalgic reference to the 1980s television series Airwolf reinforces the creative and fantastical nature of the execution."

On the other part the ARB however, found "that while no reasonable consumer expects a helicopter delivery offshore, the advertisement communicates that any reasonable West Coast destination would be possible".

"This is due to the identification of a specific area, and the promise at the end of the advertisement of 'delivery anywhere'. A hypothetical reasonable consumer works from a presumption that most advertising is trying to communicate something about the product, and there can be no question that the communication of this commercial is that the advertiser strives to achieve delivery in the most extreme circumstances."

"It delivers 'anywhere', and specifically identifies the West Coast in this regard. If one then considers that, in fact, there are large parts of the West Coast that the advertiser does not deliver to, one is left wondering what the advertisement was actually trying to communicate," the ARB says.

"The Directorate, therefore, finds that the advertisement is likely to mislead the hypothetical reasonable consumer into believing that the advertiser offers delivery 'anywhere' along the West Coast."

The ARB found the Checkers ad in breach of Clause 4.2.1 of Section II of the Code and asked ARB members not to accept the ad with the claims "Somewhere on the West Coast" and "Summer delivery. Anywhere."

South Africa's parliament demands answers from Canal+ over film industry job losses caused by shutdown of MultiChoice streamer Showmax

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's parliament wants to look into how many job losses there will be in the country's film and TV industry because of Canal+'s shutdown of MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax, with parliament's portfolio committee on communications set to do special oversight visits to MultiChoice and eMedia's e.tv as commercial broadcasters.

Canal+ announced it's shutting down Showmax and replacing it with its own Canal+ app, noting that the loss-making Showmax "would have brought down MultiChoice".

According to the agreement with South Africa's Competition Commission, Canal+ and MultiChoice are not allowed to do any retrenchments within MultiChoice for a period of three years from September 2025.

About shutting down Showmax, Canal+ in a statement said that "The decision to discontinue Showmax will not involve any retrenchments. The group will be engaging and supporting employees through various transition options".

While not allowed to get rid of Showmax staff, Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice are however, allowed to decrease the production spending budget or what was spent on productions that made shows specifically for the streamer as Showmax Originals, which might lead to fewer production companies having commissioned projects, and fewer overall people employed by those production companies.

Sixolise Gcilishe, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member of parliament, requested Khusela Sangoni-Diko, chairperson of the parliamentary committee, for an investigation of MultiChoice in terms of Showmax and the coming job losses for the local industry that its closure will cause, and what the impact will be for local TV and film production.

According to Sixolise Gcilishe, Canal+'s decision to shut down Showmax "raises significant concerns relevant to our committee's responsibilities, particularly regarding the support of the local creative industry, job retention, and adherence to transformation goals within our digital economy".

"Showmax has been crucial in contributing to our national identity and pushing the South African narrative by providing a platform for local producers, actors, writers and technical teams."

"Its discontinuation poses a serious risk of diminishing a critical distribution avenue for local content, potentially resulting in a cultural landscape overly influenced by international programmes."

We need to hear from MultiChoice about the future of local productions currently featured on Showmax and the status of existing production contracts. South Africa is grappling with severe unemployment."

"Any significant corporate changes by a major entity like MultiChoice will likely result in job losses, affecting not just the company but also the wider creative sector, including writers, directors, editors and freelance workers reliant on streaming services for income."

Sixolise Gcilishe says MultiChoice executives in their presentation to parliament must give a specific timeline and reasons for ending or restructuring Showmax, as well as a thorough assessment of the potential job losses - both at MultiChoice and also within the wider film and TV industry.

MultiChoice must also answer about the future of existing Showmax Original productions and the accessibility of these productions to South Africa's viewers.

According to Sangoni-Diko, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), as well as the Competition Commission, will brief the committee on Tuesday, 17 March, on the regulatory conditions, public interest commitments and the compliance requirements which are all linked to Canal+'s final approval for taking over MultiChoice.

"Following this, the committee is working on scheduling a special oversight visit to the broadcast sector on 31 March and 1 April 2026, covering e.tv, MultiChoice, and other commercial broadcasters."

Cancelled shows win at NFVF's embarrassingly bad 19th South African Film and Television Awards (full winners list)

by Thinus Ferreira

The National Film and Video Foundation's belatedly held 19th South African Film and Television Awards, awkwardly awarded prizes to a litany of cancelled shows.

As an inept, mistake-riddled and badly done show which ran over by almost an hour on Saturday night as a live broadcast, the 19th SAFTAs, again produced by Black Swan Media, ironically held up a mirror of a troubled industry in crisis.

The director and TV, film and stage producer Bobby Heaney, involved with the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) academy, as well as actor Magic Hlatshwayo, both received long-overdue Lifetime Achievement awards.

Multiple category winners were complete no-shows on stage at the 19th SAFTAs without any explanation.

Category wins went to channels like kykNET and Mzansi Magic on MultiChoice's DStv, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video's last local production in South Africa, the SABC, as well as e.tv.

Cancelled shows, from Youngins as a Showmax Original, to Scandal! and Kelders van Geheime on e.tv, and iThonga and Genesis on Mzansi Magic, collectively won several awards, leading to cringe-worthy recipients who had to thank their channels that cancelled them. 

The award-winning writer, director and producer Karen Jeyes from Both World Pictures, who accepted an award for the Amazon MGM Studios comedy series The Morning After, said: "Thanks Amazon Prime. Please come back and make more TV in this country".

Interestingly, Cara Roberts appeared on the SAFTAs stage twice on Saturday to accept awards on behalf of both her parents: First her dad Ian Roberts who was a no-show after winning for Best Actor in a feature film for A Kind of Madness.

She returned to stage to accept the posthumous win of her late mom, Michelle Botes, who clinched the award for Best supporting actress in a TV drama for the first season of Netflix South Africa's Afrikaanse drama series Tuiskoms.

Best supporting actress in a TV drama

Michelle Botes (Tuiskoms)

Production House: Infinity Films

Best achievement in sound - documentary

Pangolin: Kulu's Journey

Practitioners: Barry Donnelly, Corne Van Niekerk & Jabu Msomi

Production House: Water Creature Media

Best achievement in editing - documentary

Chasing the Sun 2

Practitioner: Christiaan Scheepers

Production House: T+W

Best achievement in cinematography - documentary

Pangolin: Kulu's Journey

Practitioners: Steven Dover, Warren Smart & Gareth Thomas

Production House: Water Creature Media

Best achievement in directing - documentary

Zef: The Story of Die Antwoord

Practitioner: Jon Day

Production House: Orange Films

Best documentary short

Mathonga Elizwe (Spirits of the Land)

Production House: Uhuru Productions

Best made for TV documentary or documentary series

School Ties

Production House: Idea Candy

Best documentary feature

Zef: The Story of Die Antwoord

Production House: Orange Films

Best children's programme

Behind the Rainbow

Production House: Storytown Productions

Best educational programme

Ingono Yomsamo

Production House: Barleader TV

Best factual programme

Confessions of an Assassin: Why I killed Chris Hani - An Annika Larsen Special Report

Production House: e.tv

Best competition reality show

Plaasjapie (Seisoen 2)

Production House: Afrokaans

Best structured soapie reality show

Young, Famous and African S2

Production House: Urban Brew Studios & APOP Media

Best structured or docu-reality show

Umkhonto Ogwazekhaya

Production House: Devandile Media

Best youth programme

On The Base Roundtable

Production House: VIS Studios

Best online content

Four Walls

Production House: Weldun Media

Best lifestyle programme

Elders: Ligtoringroete

Production House: Bonanza Films

Best current affairs programme

Carte Blanche

Production House: Combined Artistic Productions

Best made-for-TV movie

Mr Easy Loo

Production House: Black Brain Pictures

Best international format

Deal or No Deal Celebrity

Production House: HBC Broadcast Solution

Best entertainment programme

Yash'ingoma season 3

Production House: Skepe Entertainment and Urban Brew Studios

Best variety show

Unfollowed Season 2

Production House: Goat

Best achievement in make-up and hairstyling - TV comedy

How to Ruin Love season 1

Practitioner: Bongi Mlotshwa

Production House: Burnt Onion Productions

Best achievement in wardrobe - TV comedy

The Morning After

Practitioner: Mariechen Vosloo

Production House: Both Worlds Pictures

Best achievement in sound - TV comedy

How to Ruin Love season 1

Practitioner: Guy Steer

Production House: Burnt Onion Productions

Best achievement in art direction - TV comedy

The Morning After

Practitioner: Kate Van Der Merwe

Production House: Both Worlds Pictures

Best achievement in editing - TV comedy

The Morning After

Practitioners: Björn Johansen & Gordon Midgley

Production House: Both Worlds Pictures

Best achievement in scriptwriting - TV comedy

Magda Louw

Practitioner: Desire Gardner

Production House: Homebrew Films

Best achievement in cinematography - TV comedy

Mabaso Family Reunion

Practitioner: Gaopalelwe Kabe

Production House: Black Brain Pictures

Best achievement in directing - TV comedy

Magda Louw

Practitioner: Johan Nel

Production House: Homebrew Films

Best achievement in make-up and hairstyling - TV drama

Reyka season 2

Practitioner: Theola Booyens

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best achievement in wardrobe - TV drama

Niggies

Practitioner: Mariechen Vosloo

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best achievement in art direction - TV drama

Catch Me A Killer

Practitioner: Warren Gray

Production House: Local Motion Pictures

Best achievement in special effects (SFX) in hair and make-up - TV

White Lies

Practitioner: Natasha du Toit

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best achievement in sound - TV drama

White Lies

Practitioners: David Oosthuizen, Declyn Strydom

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best achievement in original music/score - TV drama

Niggies

Practitioner: Pierre Henri Wicomb

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best achievement in an original song - TV drama

White Lies

Practitioners: Edward George King, Charl-Johan Lingenfelder

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best achievement in editing - TV drama

GO!

Practitioner: Jeremy Briers

Production House: Ten30 Pictures

Best achievement in visual effects (VFX) – TV

Soon comes night

Practitioner: Shaun Hillary

Production House: Ochre Media

Best achievement in cinematography - TV drama

Reyka season 2

Practitioner: Tom Marais

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best achievement in scriptwriting - TV drama

Law, Love & Betrayal (LLB)

Practitioners: Alex Xolo, Lwazi Mvusi, Dorette Nel, Chisanga Kabinga & Oratile Mogoje

Production House: Ramathesele Media and Communications

Best achievement in directing - TV drama

Catch Me A Killer

Practitioners: Rene van Rooyen, Brett Michael Innes

Production House: Local Motion Pictures

Best achievement in make-up and hairstyling - TV soap/telenovela

Skemergrond

Practitioners: Waldemar van Rensburg

Production House: Penguin Films

Best achievement in wardrobe - TV soap/telenovela

Genesis season 1

Practitioners: Sylvia Gegana

Production House: Singavision Productions

Best achievement in art direction - TV soap/telenovela

Suidooster

Practitioner: Beatrix van Zyl

Production House: Suidooster Films

Best achievement in editing - telenovela

Youngins

Practitioners: SC Nhlumayo, Natalie Varoy, Siwelile Mbanjwa, Lubabalo Mayaba, Nandi Mehlomakulu, Nonhlanhla Nxumalo

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best achievement in original music/score - telenovela

Youngins

Practitioner: Brendan Jury

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best achievement in an original song - telenovela

Kelders van Geheime

Practitioner: Loki Rothman

Production House: KFilms

Best achievement in sound - TV soap/telenovela

Blood Legacy

Practitioner: Lubabalo Bozo

Production House: Gambit Films

Best achievement in scriptwriting - telenovela

Inimba

Practitioners: Siphosethu Tshapu, Kirsten Adams, Sacha-ann Stokes, Nombulelo Mcwerah, Khanyisa Jali, Vanishia Kisten, Sinethemba Keleku, Mpolokeng Hope Bogatsu, Sibusiso Kumalo

Production House: The Milton Empire

Best achievement in cinematography – telenovela

Blood Legacy

Practitioner: Sunel Haasbroek

Production House: Gambit Films

Best achievement in directing - telenovela

Suidooster

Practitioner: Pieter Francois Retief Scholtz

Production House: Suidooster Films

Best achievement in directing - TV soap

Scandal!

Practitioners: Sithembiso Mathenjwa, Antony Coleman, Philasande Malunga, Sphamandla Ngcobo, Christo Davids, Mamohato Askew

Production House: Ochre Media

Best achievement in make-up and hairstyling - Feature film

The Fix

Practitioner: Nicola Roodt

Production House: Crave Pictures

Best achievement in costume design - Feature film

Just Now Jeffrey

Practitioner: Danielle Knox

Production House: Bioscope Films

Best achievement in production design - Feature Film

Just Now Jeffrey

Practitioner: Kerry von Lillienfeld

Production House: Bioscope Films

Best achievement in special effects (SFX) in hair and make-up - Feature Film

The Fix

Practitioners: Nicola Roodt, Clinton Aiden Smith

Production House: Crave Pictures

Best achievement in sound design - Feature film

The Fix

Practitioners: David Oosthuizen, Geoffrey Kock

Production House: Crave Pictures

Best achievement in editing - Feature film

Death of a Whistleblower

Practitioner: Eva Du Preez

Production House: Known Associates Entertainment

Best achievement in original music/score - Feature film

A Kind of Madness

Practitioner: Loki Rothman

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best achievement in an original song - Feature film

Sabbatical

Practitioners: Bokani Dyer, Siyabonga Mthembu

Production House: Diprente

Best achievement in visual effects (VFX) – Feature film

The Fix

Practitioner: Kelsey Egan, George Webster, Sam Alessandri, Charles Tait, Andre Steyn, Lee Gemmell, Phillip Keong, Randall Makhanya, Tristan Brown, Mike Louw

Production House: Crave Pictures

Best achievement in cinematography - Feature film

Death of a Whistleblower

Practitioner: Devin Toselli

Production House: Known Associates Entertainment

Best achievement in scriptwriting - Feature film

A Kind of Madness

Practitioner: Christiaan Olwagen, Wessel Pretorius

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best student film

Leapt Niches

Institution: The Animation School

Best animation

Jungle Beat 2 The Past

Production House: Sunrise Animation Studios

Best supporting actress in a TV soap

Vele Manenje (Skeem Saam)

Production House: Peu

Best supporting actor in a TV soap

Litlhonolofatso Litlhakanyane (Scandal!)

Production House: Ochre Media

Best supporting actress in a telenovela

Zenande Mfenyana (Inimba)

Production House: The Milton Empire

Best supporting actor in a telenovela

Anele Matoti (Gqeberha - The Empire)

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best actress in a TV soap

Londeka Sishi (Scandal!)

Production House: Ochre Media

Best actor in a TV soap

Aubrey Poo (Generations: The Legacy)

Production House: MMSV Productions

Best actress in a telenovela

Nelisiwe Sibiya (iThonga)

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best actor in a telenovela 

Bonko Khoza (iThonga)

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best TV soap

Scandal!

Production House: Ochre Media

Best telenovela

Youngins

Production House: Tshedza Pictures

Best supporting actress in a TV drama

Michelle Botes (Tuiskoms)

Production House: Infinity Films

Best supporting actor in a TV drama

Jabulani Mthembu (Catch Me A Killer)

Production House: Local Motion Pictures

Best actress in a TV drama

Gail Mabalane (Unseen - season 2)

Production House: Gambit Films

Best actor in a TV drama

Frank Opperman (Nêrens, Noord-Kaap season 2)

Production House: Nagvlug Films

Best TV drama

Reyka season 2

Production House: Quizzical Pictures

Best supporting actress in a TV comedy

Shoki Mmola (How to Ruin Love season 1)

Production House: Burnt Onion Productions

Best supporting actor in a TV comedy

Tobie Cronjé (Pronk Primêr)

Production House: Sonvelt Media

Best actress in a TV comedy

Desire Gardner (Magda Louw season 2)

Production House: Homebrew Films

Best actor in a TV comedy

Hannes van Wyk (Magda Louw season 2)

Production House: homebrew films

Best TV comedy

The Morning After

Production House: Both Worlds Pictures

Best short film

Why The Cattle Wait

Production House: Zarafa Pictures, Yellowbone Entertainment

Best supporting actress in a feature film

June van Merch (Die Kwiksilwers)

Production House: Sanktuary Films

Best supporting actor in a feature film

Neels van Jaarsveld (Snake)

Production House: Known Associates Entertainment

Best actress in a feature film

Sandra Prinsloo (A Kind of Madness)

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best actor in a feature film

Ian Roberts (A Kind of Madness)

Production House: Wolflight Films

Best achievement in directing - Feature film

Death of a Whistleblower

Practitioner: Ian Gabriel

Production House: Known Associates Entertainment

Best feature film

Death of a Whistleblower

Production House: Known Associates Entertainment

Best natural history and environmental programme

Day of the Dragon

Production House: Earth Touch

Best TV presenter (public vote)

Fezile Mkhize (Top Travel)

Production House: Cardova Productions

Most popular TV soap/telenovela (public vote)

Inimba

Production House: The Milton Empire

Lifetime Achievement awards

Bobby Heaney

Magic Hlatshwayo

ALSO READ: TV REVIEW. NFVF's badly done 19th SAFTAs mirrors a haphazard film biz in crisis