Wednesday, December 31, 2025

BREAKING. Canal+ signs new multi-year deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to keep 12 TV channels on DStv and HBO content on M-Net and add HBO Max streamer


by Thinus Ferreira

By high noon on 31 December, just hours before its channel carriage agreement was to lapse by midnight, Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery signed a new multi-year deal that will keep WBD's 12 TV channels on DStv, as well as HBO content on M-Net (DStv 101), that will also see the roll-out of the HBO Max streamer in 2026 in Africa as a tile through MultiChoice.

TVwithThinus has reliably learnt that part of the contentious and months-long channel carriage agreement extension negotiations was the fact that Canal+ as the new owner of Africa's MultiChoice, didn't just want to renew the South African and sub-Saharan African rights, but rather as a subset lump Africa into a new, wider overall carriage agreement with Europe.

It was therefore also no longer MultiChoice negotiating with Warner Bros. Discovery but Canal+ negotiating with WBD - and not just for South Africa, or Africa, but for Africa and Europe as a bigger umbrella rights deal.

Besides South Africa, the new multi-year agreement between Canal+ and WBD covers African countries including Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, Réunion, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Saint Helena, Somalia, Eswatini (ex. Swaziland), Sudan, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Canal+ isn't willing to say for how many years the new channel carriage agreement is to keep WBD's content being seen in South Africa and across the African continent.

The deal is for all 12 existing pay-TV channels from Warner Bros. Discovery to remain on DStv in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa.

With the extension deal, M-Net (Dstv 101) subscribers are at least assured to see new drama series in 2026 like the Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and the third season of House of the Dragon, as well as the new Green Lantern science fiction series Lanterns, and in 2027 the first season of the new Harry Potter drama series.

CNN International and Cartoon Network will be on DStv in South Africa exclusively, and non-exclusively in other African countries, meaning these two channels will be carried on other services elsewhere in Africa as well. 

Cartoon Network Porto will be exclusively carried in Angola and Mozambique, and non-exclusively in other territories.

The Cartoonito, Cartoonito Porto, Discovery Channel, Discovery Family, Real Time, ID, TLC, HGTV, Travel, TNT Africa and Food Network channels will be carried on DStv as non-exclusive TV channels.

Canal+ was playing hardball: The French didn't want to renew just the African and South African carriage agreement but insisted on folding it into a bigger overall deal for Canal+ to "consolidate and expand" its WBD deal across Europe.

Canal+'s African deal is folded into a bigger carriage agreement between Canal+ and WBD for Europe where Canal+ at the same time negotiated for the renewal of Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and CNN International in Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia; the renewal of Warner TV in the Czech Republic and the renewal of HBO Max, HBO, and Cinemax in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania.

Expanding WBD's streamer HBO Max through Canal+ into Belgium and Austria as two new countries was also part of the contract negotiations.

Look for WBD's streamer, HBO Max, to also be rolled out in at least South Africa and possible elsewhere in Africa, during 2026, in the same way MultiChoice carries Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as partnership streamers alongside its own Showmax.

Not yet known: Whether the new agreement between Canal+ and WBD will include or exclude the carriage of WBD and HBO content on Showmax itself.

Canal+ says in a press statement the "expanded agreement covers both the distribution of HBO Max and the renewal of several Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across numerous regions in Africa and Europe".

"This agreement enables Canal+ to strengthen its entertainment, kids, news, and documentary channel offerings in African markets."

Warner Bros. Discovery, in response to a media query, tells me "We are pleased to confirm that Warner Bros. Discovery and MultiChoice have reached an agreement that will see all our channels and content remain available to DStv and GOtv viewers across Africa".

"We value our long‑standing partnership with MultiChoice and remain committed to delivering the world‑class entertainment, kids' programming, factual content and global brands that audiences know and love."

WBD was asked on Wednesday afternoon for how many years its multi-year agreement for South Africa and Africa is with Canal+'s MultiChoice.

WBD said "We cannot disclose the duration of the agreement as this information is commercially sensitive."

WBD was also asked when HBO Max will be added and rolled out.

WBD said "HBO Max is now available in more than 100 markets worldwide. Our current focus is on the upcoming expansion into the UK, Germany and Italy in early 2026. Beyond these planned launches, we continue to evaluate opportunities to grow our global footprint in markets where we can build a meaningful, scaled, and profitable direct-to-consumer business, and we will consider additional market entries thereafter."


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'Black Swan' moment for Canal+'s MultiChoice facing a Y2K crisis at midnight as Warner Bros. Discovery prepares to pull 12 TV channels from DStv on 31 December 2025


by Thinus Ferreira

Canal+'s MultiChoice is ensnared in a "Black Swan" moment and is staring a TV-type of Y2K destruction in the face due to the threatening, massive loss of pay-TV content at midnight tonight when Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) will pull its 12 TV channels from DStv when its channel carriage contract runs out.

Canal+ and MultiChoice will not only lose these 12 TV channels without a new deal, but also all of WBD's content like HBO from M-Net (DStv 101) and the M-Net Movies channels on DStv, as well as everything supplied by all of Warner's TV studios and film studios to M-Net, but also to the struggling Showmax streamer run by MultiChoice and Comcast's NBCUNiversal.

Twenty-five years after the so-called Y2K bug that threatened to shut down computers on New Year's Eve before the arrival of the year 2000, the clock is ticking down to midnight tonight for an utterly massive and unthinkable loss of content from DStv in terms of TV channels, shows and movies.

MultiChoice's new French Canal+ bosses, who have been closing the money taps for the past few months since October, have so far failed to sign a new channel carriage agreement with WBD, which expires at the end of 2025.

Without a new multi-year channels carriage agreement, TV channels from CNN International, Discovery Channel, Cartoon Network, Food Network, TLC, HGTV, TNT and several more will all vanish from DStv on 1 January 2026.

An M-Net insider told me that the threat represents a "true extinction-level event" for legacy M-Net's value proposition for DStv subscribers.

Ironically, the possible destruction of M-Net's premium content pipeline from America, through Warner, comes on the eve of M-Net's 40th anniversary year in 2026, with M-Net became synonymous with HBO as the home of premium shows that M-Net acquired exclusively for DStv subscribers in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa.

Negotiations between Canal+ and Warner Bros. Discovery continued this week.

According to several sources, Maxime Saada, Canal+ CEO in Paris, as well as David Mignot, the recently installed new Canal+ Africa boss in Johannesburg, are adamant that the financial exploitation by third-party content providers like WBD must end.

They apparently want to send a "strong and clear signal" that MultiChoice under Canal+ control and ownership "will no longer simply pay content providers their asking price".

One source tells me it's a "cost-cutting principle" and to "definitively indicate that MultiChoice's days as simply a price taker are over under Canal+" to all other entertainment and sports content distributors whose international contracts will also be expiring and coming up for renewal talks.

Warner Bros. Discovery on the other hand, is adamant to get paid what Warner knows its TV channels and content are worth, including its extremely desirable HBO series, as well as its studios' overall output volume.  

Insiders say the fear is that Warner Bros. Discovery's channels going dark, together with the ripping away of HBO content on M-Net, will lead to further millions of DStv subscribers cancelling their DStv subscriptions in early 2026 as they jump to streamers like Netflix and Disney+.

MultiChoice has already lost a shocking 2.8 million DStv subscribers since April 2023.

MultiChoice said that it continues to negotiate with WBD.

WBD told TVwithThinus that it "remains fully committed to finding a resolution and keeping our channels available for our audience".

"We are in regular contact with Canal+/MultiChoice and we remain hopeful that a constructive path forward can be agreed that benefits all parties, especially our viewers."

According to insiders, both sides are posturing and behaving like cowboys in a Hollywood movie.

"Canal+ and Warner are both hard-knuckled gunslingers because they can be. Neither side is blinking. They've been negotiating for months and neither one is willing to budge. Canal+ and Warner, both global players, are more than willing to pull the trigger and leave DStv subscribers with black screens where CNN, Cartoon Network, Discovery and all the rest are - even if it leads to immense reputational and financial pain for both."

The loss of WBD's TV portfolio alone will inflict immense damage on DStv.

Just Cartoon Network alone has a 49% audience share of all children's viewing. All of the other DStv channels combined represent the other half.

WBD confirmed this and said Cartoon Network has maintained its leadership position since 2006 as DStv's biggest kids TV channel.

Cartoonito, WBD's other children's channel that will also be ripped away at midnight from DStv, is, according to WB,D "the number one kids' channel on the DStv Family package".

Meanwhile, TNT holds the number one position as the most popular international movie channel on DStv, while TLC is hugely popular as a lifestyle TV channel.

MultiChoice says it's working on "alternative" channels and content plans to replace Warner's content if no deal is reached by the end of today, but sources explain that there exists no like-for-like equivalent replacement content for the Warner offering anywhere else in the world for Dstv to acquire and package.

Prof Lizette Rabe, media expert and emeritus professor at the University of Stellenbosch, told TVwithThinus that entertainment content can still be negotiated, but that the reduction of information and the news offering, especially during a time where democracies are under pressure is a serious matter.

"MultiChoice had already started scaling back channels, which represents a loss for viewers looking for a wider perspective," she said.

"BVN, the Dutch service, and Deutsche Welle, for example, simply disappeared quietly after on-screen messages of 'this service will no longer be available a month from now' - without any explanation to consumers."

"The fact that MultiChoice and Canal+ have to renegotiate for a new contract - of which the clock is ticking down to 31 December - in addition to Warner Bros. Discovery fielding buyers in the United States - has set the stage for a perfect storm for the South African company that has basically always had a monopoly over pay-TV information and entertainment."

"And as a consumer, I have to add - one apparently not concerned about its subscribers and not communicating truly and honestly. The result is that DStv is bleeding subscriptions."

"Now the company is in a position where possibly even more people are going to decide whether the R1000 plus per month for the DStv premium package are worth it, for what they're getting in return. It is indeed an unexpected 'Black Swan' moment for MultiChoice/Canal+," she explained. 


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Monday, December 22, 2025

Why Canal+'s DStv faces massive downfall danger after a Warner content wipeout


by Thinus Ferreira

Canal+'s MultiChoice is facing a massive DStv content crisis from 2026 if it is unable to retain Warner Bros. Discovery's channels through a contract extension, with Cartoon Network grabbing half of all kids viewing, and TNT as the most-watched international movie channel.

France's cost-cutting Canal+, MultiChoice and WBD are still locked in contentious channels carriage agreement negotiations.

In a week and a half from now, MultiChoice and M-Net are set to lose up to 12 TV channels on DStv, as well as all of the HBO content and the other content acquired from Warner Bros. Television and Warner's film studios shown on the M-Net (Dstv 101) and M-Net Movies channels.

While MultiChoice says it's working on replacements, the stark reality is that Canal+ and MultiChoice don't have access to like-for-like content.

Nothing really exists to fill the utterly massive content gap that will be left if M-Net loses HBO, and DStv loses hugely popular TV channels like the Discovery Channel, Cartoon Network, Food Network, HGTV, CNN International, TLC and a litany of others.

As a third-party channel distributor, the WBD linear TV channel bundle, in addition to the HBO and other Warner studios content, represents a very big - and extremely important - content chunk of the overall DStv and M-Net content universe. 

The WBD portfolio - channels like Cartoon Network, which has been on DStv since it launched thirty years ago, as well as Cartoonito - captures a staggering 49% of all kids' channel viewing on DStv.

In other words, just those two kids channels on DStv get half of the total kids viewing, while all of the other kids channels combined, represent the other half. 

The loss of Cartoon Network would be immeasurable to DStv subscribers who pay to keep their kids entertained. 

Cartoon Network by itself remains the number one kids' channel on DStv, and delivers double the audience of its nearest competing kids channel on DStv.

In response to a media query, WBD confirmed Cartoon Network's channel lead position on DStv and told TVwithThinus that "Cartoon Network has maintained its leadership since 2006 as the leading kids’ channel on pay TV, available from the DStv Access package and higher".

"Cartoonito’s appeal is clear: it ranks as the number one channel in the DStv Family package and again took the top spot during the November open period, celebrating DStv’s 30th anniversary," WBD said.

Meanwhile, TNT ranks as the number one international movie channel on DStv, while the reality-focused TLC holds the crown for lifestyle content.

While 24-hour TV news channels have a much lower viewership on DStv, similar to worldwide, these channels do have a dedicated audience and court an often highly informed audience.

A DStv without CNN International on it - also one of the TV channels that DStv started out with 30 years ago - would be difficult for MultiChoice to justify and also impossible to replace.

WBD says "These figures highlight the unique value our portfolio continues to deliver to South African families. Audiences in South Africa have loved our channels for almost 30 years and remain among the most watched and valued."

MultiChoice says it is working on "strong alternatives" if a channel carriage contract extension with WBD can't be worked out, and that it is working on "enhancements to the 2026 line-up, including new content, new channels, and new services to ensure customers continue to receive exceptional value".

MultiChoice says "At this stage no new agreement has been reached between the parties".

"Should this remain the case, these channels will no longer form part of the DStv line-up from 1 January, 2026. As always, any updates that may affect our customers will be communicated directly and transparently."

It's impossible to predict whether there would be a deal or not, since Canal+'s new Canal+ Africa division is busy with aggressive cost-cutting at MultiChoice after buying out the legacy pay-TV operator.

Meanwhile, WBD knows the value of its content and is becoming less and less dependent on the revenue coming in from its legacy linear pay-TV channels as more and more content is shifted to streaming platforms like its own HBO Max and licensed to other platforms.
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Sunday, December 21, 2025

SuperSport dumps Philly's Games with DStv blackout as part of Canal+'s cost-cutting at MultiChoice


by Thinus Ferreira

SuperSport has dumped the Philly's Games, with the popular Thembisa off-season that won't be seen on DStv as part of Canal+'s aggressive cost-cutting at MultiChoice.

There's been no statement from SuperSport about it.

City Press on Sunday reports that according to the organisers, SuperSport decided to end its sponsorship of the tournament because of the dramatic financial cost cutbacks that Canal+'s MultiChoice is now making.

Apparently the 34th edition will continue with Facebook live streaming instead of TV coverage, while maintaining its R220 000 prize money.


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Actor Marko van der Colff dead at 79


by Thinus Ferreira

The South African actor Marko van der Colff who lived in Betty's Bay died on Saturday, he was 79.

His life partner, Retha Kruger in a social media post, wrote "I have no words. Marko has completed his life journey. Oh, Bollie. Xx".

Mark van der Colff would have turned 80 on 26 December. The cause of his death is unknown.

His first book, Dieper as drome, was published in 2023.

Mark van der Colff started his professional acting career in 1972 at the Transvaalse Raad vir Uitvoerende Kunste (Truk), and moved to the Streeksraad vir die Uitvoerende Kunste van die Oranje-Vrystaat (Sukovs) in 1975. 

A year later, in 1976, he joined the Kaaplandse Raad vir die Uitvoerende Kunste (Kruik).

As actor Marko van der Colff appeared in numerous films and TV series over several decades.

In Afrikaans films, he had roles in 1973's Die Sersant en die Tiger Moth, Babbelkous and Decision to Die, Hersfland, Nag van die 19de, Die Storie van Klara Viljee, Paljas, Kaalgat tussen die Daisies, Goodbye Bafana, Endgame, Die Windpomp, Long Walk to Freedom, the TV movies Ampie and Dear Kosie, and the short film Die Buurtwag.

With the start of television in South Africa Marko van der Colff appeared in series ranging from Galery and Dirk Hoffman to Die Mannheim-Sage, Die Seders van Lebanon, Wolwedans in die Skemer, the third season of Arende, as well as The Visual Bible: Acts.

He also appeared on TV in series like The Syndicate, Malan & Kie, Lied van die Lappop, Geraldina die Tweede, Transito, both seasons of Vallei van Sluiers, e.tv's Madam & Eve, Scoop Schoombie, Oupa en Ouma Sit op die Stoep, Die Boland Moorde, S.O.S., Onder die Suiderkruis, Lui maar op, Belinda, Die Byl, League of Glory, Vloeksteen, as well as in four episodes of kykNET's Nêrens, Noord-Kaap as the character of Neill.

On stage, he had roles in Anastasia, Die Drie Van der Walts, Die Wonderwerk, Die Nag van Legio, The Orange Earth, Die Plaasvervangers, Kom terug, Sheba, Die Oresteia trilogie, Othello, Taraboemdery, Lokval vir 'n Eensame Man, Pase, Die brandstigters, Kamer 99, Die Paddas, The Royal Hunt of the Sun, Die Hekse van Salem, Toorberg, The Cactus Flower, The Fantastics, Babbelkous & Bruidegom, Die Seemeeu, Die Rebellie, Andorra, Kanna Hy Ko Huistoe, Richard, Arturo Ui, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Uncle Vanya, Goodbye Johnny (which he wrote), 'n Seder val in Waterkloof, The Curse of the Starving Class, Kinkels innie Kabel, as well as Arthur Miller's The Crucible.

Mark van der Colff translated Athol Fugard's People are Living There, as well as The Odd Couple into Die Onpaar Paar, and directed Charley se Tante and Met Permissie Gese, Vettie, Vettie.

Besides film, TV and theatre, Marko van der Colff was also a voice artist and was heard in numerous radio commercials and radio series.
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Friday, December 19, 2025

M-Net loses the Oscars after decades as Academy Awards switches to YouTube worldwide from 2029


by Thinus Ferreira

From 2029, after more than 40 years, the annual Academy Awards ceremony in the United States will no longer be broadcast on M-Net on Canal+'s MultiChoice, since M-Net is losing access to the rights.

As what used to be the collective exclusive parts - and that which still remains of traditional linear television continues to fracture, crack off and is swept away - M-Net (DStv 101) has lost the rights to the Academy Awards and the Oscars from 2029, after the American and global rights have been snapped up by YouTube.

It represents another chip away at what used to make M-Net a must-have premium pay-TV channel for DStv subscribers in South Africa and across the Rest of Africa (RoA) territory for decades. 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the United States announced that YouTube has acquired the rights to the Oscars in both the United States and worldwide, from 2029.

Disney owned the rights to the Oscars for the United States where it placed and showed it on ABC.

Disney also owned the global rights and sold the Oscars through its international distribution arm, Buena Vista International, on a country-by-country basis to various broadcasters and channels, like for instance M-Net for South Africa and Africa.

That now falls away with M-Net unable to get access to the Oscars from 2029, even if it wanted to.

South Africa viewers and viewers elsewhere across the African continent will be able to watch the annual Oscars free on YouTube which has been pay-TV content in South Africa and for the continent for decades.

As part of the deal with youTube, YouTube will also do an Oscars red carpet preshow and behind-the-scenes content while the Oscars ceremony is on, as well as the Oscars nominations announcement, the Governors Awards, the Oscars nominees luncheon, the Student Academy Awards ceremony; the Scientific and Technical Awards ceremony; Academy member and filmmaker interviews, and also film education programmes and podcasts.

Neal Mohan, YouTube CEO, in a prepared quote in a statement, says "Partnering with the Academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy."

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in its statement, says it has signed a "multi-year deal that will give YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars, beginning in 2029 with the 101st Oscars ceremony and running through 2033".

"The Oscars, including red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, Governors Ball access, and more, will be available live and for free to over 2 billion viewers around the world on YouTube, and to YouTube TV subscribers in the United States."

Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor, note that "We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming."
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e.tv dumps news at 8pm in 2026 schedule shake-up as it moves cancelled Scandal! into its timeslot from 19 January


by Thinus Ferreira

e.tv is getting rid of its well-rated weekday TV news bulletin, the News @ 8 with anchor Melanie Rice from 19 January 2026, without giving any explanation for this, which forms part of an e.tv primetime schedule shake-up that will see the remaining episodes of the cancelled Scandal! moved into its 20:00-timeslot.

The News @ 8 which has done quite well for e.tv for years in its 20:00 berth, is getting pulled from this timeslot from 19 January 2026, with e.tv moving its TV news bulletin that will likely be renamed, to 18:30.

Tshegofatso Kolotse, e.tv publicist, didn't respond with an explanation when e.tv was asked on Wednesday why the well-rated TV bulletin is being moved out of 20:00.

In announcing the primetime change, e.tv said in a general press release that it "represents a complete rethinking of how storytelling flows throughout the evening, aimed at enhancing prime-time TV for South African households".

It's unclear how e.tv wants to enhance prime-time for South African households by moving a cancelled local TV soap to 20:00 just months before its end, instead of doing a schedule change later in 2026 once Scandal!'s remaining episodes are over.

It also looks unlikely that e.tv will replace Scandal! with a new weekday soap, since eMedia in its annual financial year report noted that it was getting rid of one of its local telenovelas/soaps just before it announced the demise of the long-running Oche Media produced show.

According to e.tv, the schedule change is a "strategic revamp that reinforces e.tv's position as South Africa's leading free-to-air entertainment destination".

The latest e.tv schedule change comes less than a year after e.tv altered the channel's schedule in March this yearin March this year.

The Afrikaans telenovela Kelders van Geheime in its second season at 18:30 will now move to 19:00 from 19 January 2026.

House of Zwide which was at 19:00, moves to 19:30, and the cancelled Scandal! that is at 19:30, moves to 20:00. Isitha: The Enemy which was at 21:3,0 moves earlier to 20:30.

Smoke & Mirrors which is at 21:00, remains in its timeslot, followed by rebroadcasts of the old Gold Diggers at 22:00, Ashes to Ashes and Uzozisola.

Helga Palmer, eMedia Investments' group head of content development and strategy, in a prepared quote, says "This move marks an exciting evolution for our prime-time block".

"We've lined up our biggest, boldest shows to create a seamless viewing experience that keeps audiences engaged from early evening into late night. Our viewers value strong, meaningful stories, and this new schedule is designed to deliver exactly that."
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Tuesday, December 16, 2025

BREAKING. DJ Warras (40) murdered in Johannesburg


by Thinus Ferreira

Warrick Stock - the South African radio and club DJ and TV presenter, VIP protection service owner and podcaster known as DJ Warras - was shot and murdered on Tuesday afternoon in Johannesburg. He was 40.

Stock, a former 5FM and Cliff Central producer, and also known as Shady Lurker, was shot and killed on Tuesday afternoon on the corner of Von Wielligh and Commissioner Street in Johannesburg in front of the Carlton Centre.


According to Xolani Fihla, superintendent of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), "a shooting incident that happened this afternoon in the Johannesburg CBD".

"JMPD officers were first respondents to the incident when they were stopped by members of public who alerted them to the shooting."

"Currently, as a JMPD we don't have any information regarding the incident or the victim. And the matter will be criminally investigated by the South African Police Service, who will then shed better information regarding the incident."

The area was cordoned off by yellow police tape as Warrick Stock's lifeless body lay on the scene close to an alleged hijacked building.

According to the police, DJ Warras was approached by three suspects who opened fire on him, shot him dead and then fled.

On social media, Stock's friend and businessman Rob Hersov said his friend was murdered.

"He was murdered today in Johannesburg. I just want to say he is the most loving, compassionate, friendly, honest, open, decent human being, and it is a tragedy beyond belief. Warras, we love you, we miss you, may you rest in peace, brother."

Days ago, DJ Warras - who is also the owner of JT VIP: Elite Guarding & VIP Protection Services, a security company that handles VIP protection and building protection - criticised Rachel Kolisi's upcoming documentary film, Falling forward, claiming that the ex of South African Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi was trying to cash in on the breakdown of their marriage.

"I find this woman insufferable, bro, we get it - you got divorced! Sorry! But now it's become her whole identity, she just wants everyone to feel sorry for how heartbroken she is," he noted.

"F- sakes, what happened to keeping quiet and fading into the background? Dealing with the matter privately and putting on a brave face in public, because you have children, woman!" DJ Warras said.

Warrick Stock, who was born in Durban, never knew his father and was raised by his grandparents and mother, moved to Johannesburg as a teenager.

Stock started working at the Yfm radio station in 2008 where he did various shifts, after which he moved to the SABC's 5FM radio station as a DJ.

In September 2012, after also playing the club DJ circuit, DJ Warras made the jump to television as the new co-host together with Luthando Shosha of SABC1's music magazine show Live AMP from the 14th season.

Four years later in 2016, Warrick Stock who is a dad of three sons, became one of the presenters of the lifestyle magazine series The Man Cave on SABC3 for that show's 5th, 6th and 7th seasons.

In March 2024 DJ Warras started The Shady PHodcast on The Real Network with Phind'Gcobe "DJ PH" Madubela.

In October 2025, DJ Warras started as the presenter of the new reality show Ngicel'iVisa on MultiChoice and M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel, noting that it "wasn't trash TV".

"We've done our research and the show is in line with what DStv subscribers actually want to see. What's happening on Ngicel'iVisa could easily happen to you or me - it's real life!"

Coincidentally, the new episode 11 out of 13 of Ngicel'iVisa will air tonight at 20:00 on Mzansi Magic. 

TVwithThinus asked Mzansi Magic for comment on the death of DJ Warras on Tuesday afternoon and whether the season of Ngicel'iVisa completed filming with Warras as presenter.

Shirley Adonisi, director of local entertainment channels at M-Net, said "It is with sadness that we, as Mzansi Magic, extend our deepest and heartfelt condolences on the passing of the talented and charismatic Warrick Stock better known as DJ Warras".

"DJ Warras was a vibrant member of our Mzansi Magic family, currently hosting our reality show, Ngicel’ iVisa."

"His natural ability to mediate sometimes complex human emotions with wit and sincerity, made him the perfect host for the show. His contribution to our sister channel, Channel O (DStv 320) was also instrumental in helping shape Mzansi’s urban music landscape and his on-screen presence was testament to his legacy in the local entertainment industry."

"DJ Warras was more than just a face of a reality series, he was a talented storyteller, a passionate music lover and a warm soul who brought joy and energy to every moment on screen."

"His dedication to creativity left an indelible mark on our channels. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his friends, family and all who knew and loved him. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time."

A decade ago, DJ Warras told Move!-magazine "I passed matric with three A's and B's through the guidance of my grandparents, whom I stayed with".

"My grandfather insisted I educate myself so that I could be able to do everything for myself. I really looked up to him and that's why I am the person I am today. I turned out to be responsible and it's all because of the people who raised me, and for that I am forever grateful."

DJ Warras said that being a father made him more cautious since his sons "are my life".

"Being a father has taught me to be more responsible and cautious. Even though I am no longer with the mother of one of my sons, we are doing a great job in taking care of our child."
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Sunday, December 14, 2025

'The ballet gods shone upon him and us': The Madu filmmakers on their National Geographic film tracking a Nigerian barefoot boy's dancing journey to Birmingham


by Thinus Ferreira

The documentary film Madu, on Sunday 14 December at 21:00 on National Geographic (DStv 191 / StarTimes 220) would be Billy Elliot if this story about a ballet dancing boy were set in England.

And while the 12-year-old Anthony Madu from Lagos in Nigeria does eventually end up in the United Kingdom, Madu is a thoroughly African story, told through an African lens, with a documentary filmmaking imprimatur that fuels the faith every person has that a better future is possible.

Madu, beautifully lensed - with graceful transitions and music befitting a documentary about a boy whose ballet talent takes him from the dusty streets of Lagos to the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham - has plenty of twists and developments along the way.

It's Covid times! There's an unexpected medical issue! And amidst it all, Madu's documentary eye tracks a boy's dream and escape to a bigger, better and brighter life - through ballet.

The genesis of Madu started when Anthony Madu's video of him doing ballet dancing went viral on social media. The filmmakers realised they needed to jump - uncertain of how the story would unfold, but sure that Anthony would be going places - literally and figuratively. 

And they were right.

Through months of filming, using parallel unit crews in both Lagos and Birmingham, and with production coordination through Los Angeles, they managed to capture everything for an extremely compelling and well-told, street-to-stage story that will leave you astounded.

I sat down with Madu directors Matt Ogden and Joel 'Kachi Benson to talk about this perfect film to watch on National Geographic and Disney+ during the Christmas period.


Your cameras captured Madu's acceptance into a ballet school abroad, travelling there and everything that happens there. Can you talk about the challenge of how it all came about and how you managed to act so quickly to be able to start following this story?

Matt Ogden: How it started is that a friend, a producer of mine who actually gave me my first job many years ago as a director and we've worked on projects since then, Jamie Patricof, sent me this video that was posted on social media.

It was of this 11-year-old boy dancing in the rain, barefoot, doing ballet moves. 

I just felt something in his body language - this confidence, this passion that he was exuding even in the rain. I wanted to know more. My curiosity as a human and a filmmaker compelled me to go further down the internet rabbit hole and I found him.


'We knew that the kid was
 going to go somewhere'



Within a week, I was on a FaceTime with Anthony and his family. 

Then I was looking for Nigerian filmmakers to collaborate with and co-direct with, and as soon as I saw Kachi had a short film called Daughters of Chibok, as soon as I saw that, I did a FaceTime or a Zoom with Kachi.

Right away, his story of becoming a documentary filmmaker, to me, mirrored Anthony's story as a ballet dancer. We took it out to market to pitch and Disney saw it. 

They and we all felt like "Okay, we know this kid is going to go somewhere. We didn't know it was going to play out - England, the US, Italy, or maybe he never leaves Lagos and just gets to perform on a big stage in downtown Lagos.

But we knew there is a story here. Disney greenlit the project just on act one. It's so rare. They loved the idea.

Joel 'Kachi Benson: Yeah, I mean, you said it so well. We knew that the kid was going to go somewhere. Anthony is an amazing kid with a great story, with so much grit and determination.

We knew he was going to go somewhere. We were so fortunate to have Disney say, "You know what, we'll support you in the making of this". 

And around the time he gets the information, the announcement that he's been accepted into the school, it was incredible for us to have been there at that moment to be able to capture him going to England for the first time and getting accepted into Elmhurst Ballet School. 

It was beautiful. The ballet gods shone upon him and shone upon us. 




So a spoiler alert here, and people reading should come back after having watched Madu on National Geographic or Disney+, or perhaps you're here now because you googled this and wanted the answer. 

But a third of the way through Madu, there is this added revelatory discovery that Anthony is basically blind in his right eye.

How did you as documentary filmmakers, react to this additional twist?

Matt Ogden: I'll let Kachi tell it. Kachi, do you remember that moment when we saw it together?

Joel 'Kachi Benson: Yeah, I mean, again, we're making a film that is so intimate, you know. It wasn't a large crew so usually it's the DP's inside filming, and Matt and I are outside on the monitor, just watching.

I remember that Anthony was in a classroom and he kept whispering to himself, "I can't see the board, I can't see the board".

And Matt and I just looked at each other like "What could he be talking about? What's this about?" And Anthony kept saying that. And he went up to the teacher and complained.

With documentary filmmaking, you're documenting real life, so you don't know what life is going to hand to you; you don't know what you're going to get.

This further really deepened the story and also really showed the stuff that the kid was made of.


'We ended up making a film that
we believe will continue
to inspire millions' 



Beyond the bullying and the teasing that he had endured in Nigeria, now Anthony comes to this place where there is seeming acceptance and belonging - but now he's confronted with a whole new challenge that is unexpected.

And what does he do? He takes it on, and that really makes him even more lovable. You're rooting for him to succeed. So it was unexpected but we had to accept it, we had to embrace it, embrace the challenge and document it all.

Seeing him having the courage and witnessing him having the courage to speak up and say "I need help" is important in anyone's story.

Matt Ogden: As documentary filmmakers, we always have fear - the fear of uncertainty. We don't know what's going to happen next but you kind of have to embrace it. You have to surrender and let go because it's all, as Kachi says, discovery.

When you become too rigid or too attached to an outcome that you picture in your head, you're not going to be true to the story. If you can surrender and just go with the uncertainty - that's where the magic happens.




It struck me that as difficult as it was for Anthony to succeed despite the circumstances of his location being Africa, it is as difficult to make a documentary in Africa about an African story.

Do you have any reflections on how difficult but worthwhile it is to tackle these endeavours, where you don't know whether it might actually result in something, although you did end up winning an Emmy for Madu.

Joel 'Kachi Benson: I don't think that filming on the continent of Africa the challenges here are peculiar to just here. 

I think that every place has its unique challenges. As long as you're documenting real people, with real stories, real emotions, real issues, that could get in the way of your project, there will always be challenges.

It's really about how you navigate these challenges. 

There's something that Matt would always say, which is that at the end of the day, it's about what serves the story. What is in the best interest of the story, so when we're confronted with these challenges - whether internal or external - we always ask ourselves, what do we do in the interest of the story?

That always guides our decision-making. 

I'm not going to say that there were no challenges but at the end of the day, we ended up making a film that we believe will continue to inspire millions of people across the world to pursue that impossible dream and that's what matters.

How would it have been if we were documenting a kid who was fighting challenges to pursue his dreams and then we gave up?




You had a Nigerian film unit, one in the UK and then Matt you in the US - different time zones and basically a tri-continental type of project. What was it like to keep Madu on track across three continents?

Matt Ogden: Lots of jet lag, lots of coffee, some Red Bull you know, but listen man, we do what we love and Anthony was a joy to work with. The crew, everyone, really believed in the story. 

Joel 'Kachi Benson: Sometimes it would be Matt flying from Los Angeles to Lagos to film.

Sometimes it would be myself flying from Lagos to England and then Matt joining me from LA. So I think he suffered the most jet lag because I'm on the same time zone with the UK but we had amazing producers - they were really, really amazing and they made our lives so much easier so that we could focus on making the film.

Matt Ogden: Yeah, Kachi and I talk about this phrase "collaboration of cultures". That applies to the story itself of Anthony in two worlds  - his community in Lagos, Nigeria and this ballet school in Birmingham, England. 

It was shot on two continents, with me and Kachi from two continents in two different cultures, so our collaboration of cultures paralleled Anthony's - even the two crews. 

Mateo's our DP, actually from South Africa, Charlie our DP in England and his crew, and their communication with each other - it all worked together because there are two worlds in this film. 




Madu is on Sunday, 14 December at 21:00 on National Geographic (DStv 191 / StarTimes 220) and available on Disney+
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