MultiChoice Zimbabwe increasing DStv fees from June 2025

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Zimbabwe is increasing monthly DStv subscription fees from 1 June 2025, although the price of DStv Premium will remain unchanged at $75.

From June DStv Compact Plus is increasing from $45 to $46, DStv Compact is increasing from $30 to $32, and DStv Family is getting an increase from $20 to $21.

The DStv Access package is increased from $15 to $16.

The monthly fees for DStv Lite at $9, the Indian add-on package for DStv Premium at $39, the Indian add-on package for $25, the Portuguese add-on package at $45, and the HD PVR service fee of $13 all remain unchanged. 

MultiChoice Zimbabwe announces another price hike blaming 'rising operating costs', giving DStv Zimbabwe subscribers just a week's notice.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Zimbabwe is doing another big price hike blaming "rising operating costs" and confirmed on Tuesday that it's increasing prices from 1 August, giving DStv Zimbabwe subscribers just a week's notification.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe on Tuesday issued a statement saying "Please note that MultiChoice will implement a price adjustment on its DStv packages effective 1 August 2024".

In a message to DStv Zimbabwe subscribers, MultiChoice blamed rising operating costs, saying "We have tried our best to keep our expenses low but our operating cost continue to rise. We have thus reviewed our subscription fees with effect from 1 August 2024".

MultiChoice Zimbabwe bills DStv subscribers in the struggling Southern African country in American dollar as has done so for a number of years due to the worthless local currency. 

Zimbabwe introduced the Zimbabwean ZiG that in April replaced the Zimbabwean dollar.

While the subscription fees for DStv Premium, DStv Compact Plus remain unchanged, DStv Compact is increased from $29 to $30, and increased for DStv Family from $19 to $20. 

DStv Access is increased from $13 to $15. DStv Lite is increased from $8 to $9.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Zimbabwe granted a reprieve from Zimbabwe's central bank around foreign currency payments with DStv subscribers who can 'once again' settle subscription fees in American dollar.

CORONAVIRUS. MultiChoice Zimbabwe closes Harare branches as Covid-19 cases surge.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Zimbabwe has closed its branches in the capital of Harare as cases of Covid-19 infections are surging in the struggling Southern African country.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe closed its offices and branches in Harare in Avondale and Joina City on 22 July and will only reopen them on 2 August due to the surge of Covid-19 infections in the country and in the city.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe is telling DStv Zimbabwe and GOtv Zimbabwe subscribers to make use of the pay-TV company's digital platforms or to use the MultiChoice Zimbabwe call-centre numbers to phone for assistance.

Zimbabwe is currently in a Lockdown Level 4 as it's struggling to cope with the massive surge in Covid-19 cases fuelled by the much more contagious Delta-variant.

Coronavirus: MultiChoice Namibia and MultiChoice Zimbabwe forced to close buildings in Windhoek and Harare for deep-cleaning and contact tracing after staffers test Covid-19 positive.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Namibia is the pan-African pay-TV operator MultiChoice Africa's next country-specific operations that has been forced to shut down its head office in Windhoek after a MultiChoice Namibia staff member tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus.

MultiChoice Namibia has now closed its head office in Nelson Mandela Avenue in Windhoek.

The MultiChoice Namibia building shut down comes just after MultiChoice Zimbabwe was forced to temporarily close its DStv Avondale branch for Covid-19 disinfection after a MultiChoice staffer there also tested Covid-19 positive.

The MultiChoice offices in the countries are being deep-cleaned.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe shuttered its office in the PaSangano building in Avondale, Harare for fumigation with the staffers who were ordered to stay home for a week.

MultiChoice Namibia meanwhile announced that it's head office is now shut as well, with the MultiChoice staffer who has been quarantined along with the person's family, while people who the individual might have been in contact with who are being screened for Covid-19.

The MultiChoice Namibia head office will now undergo cleaning and sanitization and will be locked for between 10 and 14 days with DStv Nigeria subscibers who have to use either the call centre or "self-service" option. DStv decoder repairs will now be done at MultiChoice's Katutura brand in Independence Avenue in Windhoek.

Coronavirus: Over 152 000 DStv subscribers in South Africa sign a petition in a week asking for similar help as MultiChoice extends free bouquet upgrades in Nigeria and Botswana to Ghana and Zimbabwe as well.

by Thinus Ferreira

A petition started by upset DStv subscribers in South Africa has grown to over 152 000 signatures in 7 days since it was started last week, with South Africans asking for lower monthly fees and payment compassion similar to what's happening in other countries where MultiChoice continues to give massive discounts and free bouquet upgrades and has now provided relief for subscribers in Ghana and Zimbabwe as well after giving reprieve to its pay-TV customers in Nigeria and Botswana.

Last week Thursday Sfiso Gwala started a petition entitled "DStv should give S.A. subscribers a payment break or decrease prices during Covid-19" on the change.org platform where it has quickly shot up to become one of the highest "trending" and popular petitions on the platform.

The over 152 000 signatures a week later which saw a jump of another 41 000 signatures on Wednesday night since the 109 000 of Wednesday afternoon, is more than a hundred thousands more than the petition that was started in October 2019 that demanded that MultiChoice return the Crime+Investigation, History and Lifetime TV channels from A+E Networks UK to DStv and which eventually saw the History and Lifetime channels saved.

The petition was prompted after South African DStv subscribers discovered that MultiChoice through its MultiChoice Africa division is giving discounts of up to 75% to DStv and GOtv subscribers, as well as automatically upgrading them to the next higher bouquet for free as part of consumer relief because of Covid-19 national shutdowns.

MultiChoice Africa runs and oversees the various countries in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa.

After Nigeria and Botswana, MultiChoice has now also extended the free package upgrades to its subscribers in Ghana and Zimbabwe.

Martin Mabutho, MultiChoice Nigeria's chief customer officer said that the huge pay-TV discounts are a way of thanking pay-TV customers for their consistent loyalty.

In Botswana MultiChoice thanked DStv subscribers in that country last week for their loyalty and automatically upgraded them the next DStv bouquet for free.

Lorato Mwape, MultiChoice Botswana's acting managing director, in a statement, said that "It is our priority to put customers at the heart of everything we do, and in line with our mission to make great entertainment available, even during the most trying of times, we wanted to gift our very loyal and valued customer base by giving them a chance to experience a wider range of the quality content we carry on our other packages. This is our token of appreciation for their continued support".

Now MultiChoice Zimbabwe is giving DStv subscribers a free bouquet upgrade as well.

"The upgrades are a reward for customers' support for the DStv brand and a means of supporting customers at this difficult time," says Liz Dziva, MultiChoice Zimbabwe PR manager. "DStv customers who are fully paid up on their subscriptions will automatically get upgraded" to the next higher package at no extra cost."

In Ghana MultiChoice is upgrading DStv and GOTV subscribers to the next higher package for free as well.

Cecil Sunkwa Mills, MultiChoice Ghana managing director, said MultiChoice is doing it to thanks customers for their loyalty.

"It is our priority to put customers at the heart of everything we do, and in line with our mission to make great entertainment available, even during the most trying of times, we wanted to gift our very loyal and valued customer base by giving them a chance to experience a wider range of the quality content we carry on our other packages. This is our token of appreciation for their continued support," said Cecil Sunkwa Mills.

Since a week ago last Thursday, representatives of MultiChoice South Africa and its PR company Aprio were asked for comment and whether MultiChoice has any plans to offer similar discounts or free upgrades to South African customers as in Nigeria and Botswana.

MultiChoice said it was working on a response but a week later haven't yet responded.

In South Africa, MultiChoice's biggest market, DStv subscribers are already paying some of the highest monthly subscription fees after currency adjustments where another annual increase came into effect at the beginning of April amidst the Covid-19 shutdown in the country.

Through no fault of MultiChoice and to make matters worse, the DStv price increase happened as live sports programming on SuperSport dried up because of the global pandemic, while multiple international and local TV channels had to adjust their schedules and push out new programming, while some local weekday soaps have run out of episodes with more to follow during May.


ALSO READ: Coronavirus: South Africa's DStv subscribers up in arms as thousands sign a petition over massive MultiChoice discounts and free bouquet upgrades in other African countries over Covid-19: 'My kids laugh in my face that Anaconda has been repeated so much they are no longer scared'. 

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Over 100 000 DStv subscribers in South Africa sign a petition in just 4 days asking MultiChoice for payment compassion and a DStv fee decrease after other African countries got up to 75% discounts and free bouquet upgrades.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe sheds jobs and starts voluntary retrenchment as DStv subscribers continue to plunge to 2010-levels amidst worsening economy as MultiChoice cuts 'costs to the bone'.

The embattled MultiChoice Zimbabwe is shedding jobs and has started a voluntary retrenchment process as DStv subscribers in the Southern African country continue to plunge amidst ongoing worsening economic conditions.

With the DStv subscriber numbers now at 2010-levels in Zimbabwe, MultiChoice Zimbabwe is getting rid of staffers and has started process of voluntary retrenchments as the customer base shrink as people struggle to pay for DStv and GOtv because they don't have the money, and struggle to pay because of limited payment options and currency problems in the country.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe is a franchise owned by Skynet (Pvt) Ltd. MultiChoice Zimbabwe calls the job losses and downsizing of its staff complement in the country "inevitable".

"Due to the current economic challenges facing Zimbabwe, Skynet has undertaken a comprehensive business evaluation in order to remain sustainable," says Elizabeth Dziva, MultiChoice Zimbabwe's spokesperson.

"The difficult decision to reduce its operating costs will include the offer of voluntary employee retrenchments".

MultiChoice Zimbabwe told staffers that "We have tried to manage and reduce our costs to the bone. We stopped all contract employees, reduced working hours, strict usage of company vehicles among other measures".

"However, our subscriber numbers have reduced to the numbers we were back in 2010. The decline subsists with an adverse trend beyond our control and it appears we are delaying the inevitable."

"MultiChoice mainly depends on subscriber revenue and in turn Ally Property Investments (Pvt) Limited depends on rentals from tenants who are not spared by the economic challenges and Skynet (Pvt) Limited is their major client," said the company.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe granted a reprieve from Zimbabwe's central bank around foreign currency payments with DStv subscribers who can 'once again' settle subscription fees in American dollar.

MultiChoice Africa's country business in Zimbabwe got a much-needed reprieve, with the struggling Southern African country's reserve bank allowing DStv subscribers to pay for the subscription TV service in foreign currency like American dollar.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe in a message to DStv and GOtv subscribers in Zimbabwe told them that they can "still" pay their DStv subscription fees in American dollar.

"DStv payments can still be made at selected banks in US$ as the DStv service is exempt from Statutory Instrument SI 142," MultiChoice Zimbabwe told its customers.

On 24 June 2019 the Zimbabwean government suddenly announced that it's switching to the "new" Zimbabwean dollar, more than a decade after it became worthless, and that the American dollar, South Africa's rand, the British pound and Botswana's pula will no longer be accepted as legal tender in Zimbabwe with only the Zimbabwe dollar that can be used as payment for local transactions.

This would have made it even more difficult for DStv and GOtv subscribers in Zimbabwe to pay MultiChoice Zimbabwe for a pay-TV service.

Zimbabwe's bad currency and foreign currency crisis steadily worsened during the past two years, with it becoming almost impossible for DStv subscribers in the country to make payments.

In January MultiChoice Zimbabwe told DStv subscribers to pay their accounts in rand from South Africa.

In February 2017 the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank dramatically ramped up its clamping down on citizens using foreign currency and the American dollar, specifically slamming Zimbabwean DStv subscribers for their "illogical behaviour" of wanting to subscribe and pay for DStv.

Since late-2016 several payment options for DStv subscribers in Zimbabwe simply disappeared with payment processing providers announcing that they simply can't continue to process DStv payments, with many Zimbabwean DStv and GOtv subscribers who have family members paying their subscription fees from South Africa through Checkers and Shoprite supermarkets.

It has now emerged that Zimbabwe's central bank during a meeting with financial institutions held just a day later on 25 June 2019, decided to allow dollar payments for MultiChoice's DStv to continue.

It means that DStv subscribers in Zimbabwe can "once again" pay with foreign currency for the DStv subscriptions from within Zimbabwe.

Another knock coming for MultiChoice Zimbabwe as DStv subscribers in the country are forced to pay their accounts with the 'new' Zimbabwean dollar.

Another knock is coming for MultiChoice Zimbabwe as the remaining DStv and GOtv subscribers in the Southern African country are now forced to pay for their monthly subscription fees in the new Zimbabwean dollar as the only allowed currency.

MultiChoice that just released its first set of financial year results last week as The MultiChoice Group after the pan-African pay-TV operator was spun off from the bigger Naspers group, last week singled out Zimbabwe, together with Angola as the two countries with the biggest currency problems impacting negatively on the broader MultiChoice Africa division's revenue on the continent.

On Monday the economically-destroyed Zimbabwe that is facing a worsening economic crisis as it struggles with rampant inflation and other macro-economic problems, suddenly announced that it's switching to the "new" Zimbabwean dollar, more than a decade after it became worthless.

Mthuli Ncube, Zimbabwe's minister of finance, announced on Monday that the American dollar, South Africa's rand, the British pound and Botswana's pula will no longer be accepted as legal tender in Zimbabwe with only the Zimbabwe dollar that can be used as payment for local transactions.

Currencies like the rand and the dollar have been used as payment in Zimbabwe since 2009.

"The Zimbabwe dollar shall, with effect from 24 June 2019 be the sole legal tender in Zimbabwe in all transactions," the Zimbabwe government gazetted.

This will now make it even more difficult for DStv and GOtv subscribers in Zimbabwe to pay MultiChoice Zimbabwe for a pay-TV service.

Zimbabwe's bad currency and foreign currency crisis steadily worsened during the past two years, with it becoming almost impossible for DStv subscribers in the country to make payments.

In January MultiChoice Zimbabwe told DStv subscribers to pay their accounts in rand from South Africa.

In February 2017 the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank dramatically ramped up its clamping down on citizens using foreign currency and the American dollar, specifically slamming Zimbabwean DStv subscribers for their "illogical behaviour" of wanting to subscribe and pay for DStv.

Since late-2016 several payment options for DStv subscribers in Zimbabwe simply disappeared with payment processing providers announcing that they simply can't continue to process DStv payments.

Now pay from SA in rand, says MultiChoice Zimbabwe, operating with 'limited capacity' as Zimbabwe's untenable political, social, economic and foreign currency crisis escalates.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe struggling in the same way as other businesses in the ravaged Southern African nation running out of foreign currency and losing DStv subscribers who can't pay, is advising customers about a new option to pay their monthly subscription fees in rand from South Africa.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe told TVwithThinus it is "operating with limited capacity" due to the political, social and economic turmoil in the country and is evaluating the situation day by day.

With untenable political upheaval in Zimbabwe - many businesses shut, the country's internet cut off from the outside world making online payments impossible, and a growing foreign currency crisis - the pay-TV operator is one of numerous businesses in Zimbabwe facing a very stark future and possible shutdown if customers can't pay for services and products.

Zimbabwe's already bad currency and foreign currency crisis steadily worsened during the past two years, with it becoming almost impossible for DStv subscribers in the country to make payments.

In February 2017 the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank dramatically ramped up its clamping down on citizens using foreign currency and the American dollar, specifically slamming Zimbabwean DStv subscribers for their "illogical behaviour" of wanting to subscribe and pay for DStv.

Since late-2016 several payment options for DStv subscribers in Zimbabwe simply disappeared with payment processing providers announcing that they simply can't continue to process DStv payments.

Earlier this week, with Zimbabwe facing chronic shortages of foreign exchange and with many shops and factories shuttered and the petrol price there after an overnight doubling on Sunday night now the most expensive in the world, the head of Zimbabwe's main industry body has warned that many companies that continue operating will shut this month due to the currency shortage.

This threat is also looming for Skynet trading as MultiChoice Zimbabwe, where Lovemore Mangwende, MultiChoice Zimbabwe CEO, died last week from heart failure.

MultiChoice Africa told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry as to whether MultiChoice Zimbabwe continues to operate, that "MultiChoice Zimbabwe, trading as Skynet, is carefully monitoring the current situation in Zimbabwe".

"The business is operating as usual, albeit with limited capacity in the interest of employee safety. Customers can refer to the DStv Facebook page for information".

MultiChoice Zimbabwe has now also started telling DStv subscribers in the country that they can ask friends and family to pay their DStv subscription fee from South Africa in rands. These payments can be made at all Shoprite, Checkers, Pick n Pay and Kazang point-of-sale machines. All that's needed is the first 10 digits of the smartcard number in the DStv decoder, not the account number.

"The conversion to rand will happen at the till," says DStv Zimbabwe. "It's a simple, seamless, real-time solution".

MultiChoice Zimbabwe CEO, Lovemore Mangwende, dies from heart failure.

Lovemore Mangwende Makono, MultiChoice Zimbabwe CEO, has died from unannounced causes.

MultiChoice in a statement confirms that Lovemore Mangwende, a former Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative in Zimbabwe, died on Sunday, 6 January 2019.

"It is with deep regret and great sadness that we advise of the passing of our chief executive officer, Lovemore Mangwende Makono, on 6 January 2019."

"Lovemore was an inspirational leader and a father figure to many. He guided and fought tirelessly for the betterment of his countrymen and the management and staff of his company," says the chairperson and directors of Skynet trading as MultiChoice Zimbabwe.

"His larger-than-life persona will be missed. Lovemore joined MultiChoice Zimbabwe in 2005 and has been the CEO since 2008."

The cause of death has not been announced although Lovemore Mangwende apparently died from heart failure according to sources who spoke to Zimbabwe's The Herald.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 5 January 2019.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:

■ Turkey bans the comedy series Modern Family.
Pay-TV operator beIN is fined, censored and Modern Family ordered off of the beIN Series channel because Modern Family ... features a child born out of wedlock - something not allowed on Turkish television.


■ A clueless Ellen DeGeneres getting backlash for begging Kevin Hart to host the 2019 Academy Awards after he was dumped as Oscars host for homophobic comments.
■ In emotional criticism, Don Lemon on CNN says Kevin Hart on Ellen "turns himself into a victim instead of acknowledging the real victims of violent and sometimes deadly homophobia".
■ Ellen DeGeneres and Kevin Hart's conspiracy theories only make things worse.
■ Ellen DeGeneres' interview with Kevin Hart was an insult and clueless celebrity overreach that sends a toxic message.
■ Where are Kevin Hart's past apologies? An investigation.
■ Shock seeing Ellen DeGeneres throwing her weight behind Kevin Hart's self-victimisation.
■ Why is Ellen DeGeneres trying to rehabilitate Kevin Hart as Oscars host?
■ Who died and made Ellen DeGeneres the gay pope?
■ Ellen DeGeneres is getting blasted for calling Kevin Hart's critics "trolls" and "haters".
■ What Ellen DeGeneres and Kevin Hart are missing by calling critics "haters".
■ Ellen DeGeneres: Girl, what?



■ Huge problems on the "chaotic and troubled" set of the drama series SMILF seen on Showmax amidst allegations of abusive behaviour, race separation of writers, and violations of industry rules.
And some important questions as to why ABC Studios, the Walt Disney Company, producers and agents are apparently doing little or nothing about it.


■  Content discovery on TV remains terrible with little help from pay-TV operators giving viewers a wasteland of irrelevant recommendations and outdated menus. Can adding hyper-detailed metadata about TV shows and episodes, including descriptors about a show's mood, theme, characters, and scenarios help?

■ Palestine Television's offices in Gaza ransacked, equipment destroyed.

■ 8 tricks to improve the image on your new TV set.
Tips include choosing your TV set's settings in darkness, and of course it's important to switch off "motion smoothing"switch off "motion smoothing" (also referred to as "motion control", "TruMotion" and the "soap opera effect".

■ Pay-TV operator Sky in the United Kingdom is working on some updates for 2019 that MultiChoice in South Africa should be considering.
A guide for individual users of the same decoder for better personal recommendations, a safe Kids Mode and others.

■ Insider claims that E! News anchor Giuliana Rancic at E! Entertainment (DStv 124) has become a diva.
Giuliana who is not an E! favourite under staffers, behind-the-scenes apparently "only talks to people she thinks are important" and has become notorious for tantrums over her wardrobe and styling when doing award show red carpet coverage.

■ Sky News (DStv 402) campaign to force televised debates between political candidates moves forward.
Sky News' Make Debates Happen petition finally gets 133 000 signatures from the public in the United Kingdom to force the British parliament and MPs to consider a motion for a debate to set up a commission to make televised debates with UK political party leaders a permanent TV fixture.

■ 15 TV shows that are still worth watching in 2019.

■ MultiChoice Zimbabwe having problems with their payment system for DStv subscribers in Zimbabwe.

■ The truth about TV sex scenes.

■ The trends that could shape TV viewing in 2019 from NPR's TV critic.

■ Cameroon censors and bans TV channel Vision 4 for a month.

■ Free TV sets! Hundreds of cargo ships containers that have flatscreen TV sets wash ashore on the Dutch islands bringing a windfall for treasure seekers.

TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 7 May 2018.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read and that you should read too:

■ Pay-TV woes deepening in the United States as "cord-cutting" continues and traditional pay-TV customers flee and move to things like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
The fundamental shift in consumer behaviour from traditional pay-TV to streaming services are making investors worried that pay-TV companies don't have the right assets and scale in order for them to compete against the new streaming services.

■ "Bush meat" scandal in Ghana as actress Moesha Boduong told CNN she did sex-for-rent with a married man as sexual harassment is as bad in the West African country as its economy.

■ Pay-TV cost to consumers have kept increasing astronomically the past 20 years which is why more and more people are "cutting the cord".
The monthly pay-TV bill increased much faster than salaries the past 2 decades - which means that pay-TV operators are demanding that customers pay nearly double now, than what they did 20 years ago.


■ MUST READ: Is peak-TV slowly killing TV critics?
There's too much TV now for anyone to keep up with, including the TV critics who are literally paid to do it.


■ Extremely depressing how TV ratings in America continue its nose-dive: Even Roseanne can't save America's tanking live TV viewership anymore.
A play-by-play for each American TV network and its increasing ratings problems.

■ Look! Camel rides and falcon shows (and how much actual reporting?) about MultiChoice's disappointing 5th Digital Dialogue Conference in Dubai.

■ Speaking of which, 4 reasons why digital media is causing the death of television.

■ An unlikely character in Netflix's new Lost in Space is an object of desire.


■ Fraudsters steal N200 million (R6.96 million) from MultiChoice Nigeria.
Three alleged fraudsters - Mor Diop (49), Ekeng Ewa Ekeng (44) and Anabel Adagbasa (26) - in court in Lagos along with Nigcom Network Solution Ltd. after allegedly hacking into DStv Nigeria's DStv and GOtv computer network data and stealing money.


■ American Horror Story and Joan Collins are perfect for each other.

■ Yet another bank in Zimbabwe has had enough and is dumping payments to DStv Zimbabwe.
CABS now also demands that customers bring cold, hard dollars as payment for the MultiChoice Zimbabwe subscription fees - plus a $5 commission fee.

■ Poor thing fired from Motherwell Diagnostics in Nigeria because she couldn't stop watching M-Net's Big Brother Naija at work on DStv and kept tuning the TV set to the show despite warnings not to.
Now she's been sacked from the medical laboratory "in order that you do not become a bad influence on the rest of the workers".

MultiChoice won't be hiking DStv fees in Southern African countries Zimbabwe and Swaziland after its latest DStv price increase coming to South Africa from April.

MultiChoice won't be hiking DStv fees in the Southern African countries of Zimbabwe and Swaziland after its latest DStv price hike that is coming for South Africa's DStv subscribers from April.

While South Africa's rand is a stronger currency against the dollar and has been more resilient against the greenback that the currency of several other African nations, MultiChoice Africa decreased the DStv subscription fees in the past few months in several other African countries.

In contrast MultiChoice South Africa keeps increasing overall DStv subscription fees in South Africa every year - its biggest subscriber base market.

Now for 2018, it appears so far as if South Africa is going to be the only Southern African market in which MultiChoice operates its DStv satellite pay-TV service, where it will be upping its monthly DStv subscription fees this year.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe and MultiChoice Swaziland have both been very quick to respond that in these countries DStv subscribers won't see a similar increase in 2018, with more Southern African nations - Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique and Zambia - who could possibly follow.

Swazi Observer reporter Fortune Ndlangamandla blatantly plagiarised and stole large chunks of my orginal reporting by stealing through a copy-and-paste job what I wrote first about South Africa's DStv subscriber fee increase, but did add an originally sourced response from MultiChoice Swaziland saying it won't be hiking DStv fees there.

Dumsile Masuku, MultiChoice Swaziland publicist said about MultiChoice South Africa's DStv price hike that "What they do is irrelevant to us. We know nothing about the price hikes".

In Zimbabwe DStv actually lowered DStv subscription fees due to DStv subscribers struggling extremely with its trash currency, Zimbabwe's reserve bank making it basically impossible to pay DStv subscription fees, and the launch of rival Kwesé TV from Econet Media.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe told told TechZim that DStv subscription fees will remain the same in 2018.

"While we can confirm that Multichoice South Africa will increase DStv prices in South Africa, it’s worth noting that MultiChoice Africa is a seperate business unit that operates independently."

"In the past two years, we haven’t increased DStv subscription prices for our customers in Zimbabwe – and in fact, we’ve decreased some package prices and added exciting premium content across various packages as part of our priority to put customers in the heart of everything we do."

"Should there be any changes to DStv subscription prices in Zimbabwe, we will inform our customers accordingly."

MultiChoice Zimbabwe sued for only accepting American dollars as Zimbabwe's DStv subscribers struggle to make payments.

MultiChoice is being sued by a Zimbabwe lawyer, asking the country's high court to compel the satellite pay-TV service to accept other forms of payment besides American dollar as more and more cash-strapped Zimbabweans are struggling to pay their DStv subscriptions.

The past few months have been extremely tough on MultiChoice Zimbabwe as well as on DStv subscribers in Zimbabwe after the Zimbabean government, through Zimbabwe's reserve bank, has started to put the squeeze on pay-TV subscribers that it blames for Zimbabwe's worsening foreign reserves and forex outflows.

Zimbabwe has added DStv subscribers in the struggling Southern African country to the list of "evil-doers" supposedly damaging its economy with their "illogical behaviour", since they're paying for television services in dollar that flows out of the country, instead of buying - as the reserve bank recommends - "raw material to make cooking oil for the nation".

Almost all payment options for DStv subscribers in Zimbabwe have now disappeared with payment processing providers announcing one after the other that they simply can't continue to process DStv payments that must be made in American dollar.

As it became more difficult for DStv subscribers to make payments, the forex clampdown has been having a devastating effect on MultiChoice Zimbabwe the past 5 months with the Zimbabwean operation of MultiChoice Africa that is operated as a franchise in the southern African country.

In July, MultiChoice Zimbabwe in a statement said that DStv services are not being suspended and that all the DStv bouquets remain available. What MultiChoice Zimbabwe isn't saying, is how ordinary Zimbabwe citizens are expected to pay for their DStv in the face of dwindling payment options.

Zimbabwe's Herald newspaper reports that the Harare lawyer James Majatame is now taking MultiChoice Zimbabwe, run by Skynet Private Limited, to court, to compel the pay-TV provider to accept other forms of payment.

He wants DStv Zimbabwe to accept bank card payments, EcoCash transfers, bank transfers and bond notes as payment for DStv subscriptions and filed a court application on Wednesday in Harare.

In the application James Majatame alleges that "MultiChoice's conduct of refusing to accept subscriptions by way of swipe, EcoCash, bank transfer, bond notes and coins, preferring United States dollar only, is unlawful."

"Cash in US dollar is now a scare commodity. The conduct by the respondent of demanding US dollars only for its DStv services promotes black market [illegal trade], which is more averse to our country and economy".

MultiChoice Zimbabwe says DStv is not quitting the country, while Zimbabwe regulator slams fake news that StarTimes' StarSat has a licence to broadcast in Zimbabwe.

MultiChoice Africa has no plans to quit Zimbabwe despite dramatically worsening trading conditions in the Southern Africa country for the satellite pay-TV operator, while Zimbabwe's regulator is denying fake reports and says rival StarTimes doesn't have any licence to broadcast and operate the StarSat service in the country.

The Zimbabwe government, through the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank is continuing to clamp down on money leaving the country and last month shifted its focus to DStv, slamming citizens in mid-February for their "illogical behaviour" of subscribing to DStv .

The bank said Zimbabwe citizens who want DStv and pay for it, are part of creating an "unsustainable" situation and should rather spend money on raw material to produce things like cooking oil.

Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank said DStv subscribers in the country's struggling economy are worsening Zimbabwe's foreign exchange situation, since DStv subscription payments are a big cause money leaving the country.

Since late last year several payment options for DStv subscribers in Zimbabwe simply disappeared with payment processing providers announcing that they simply can't continue to process DStv payments, making it increasingly difficult for DStv subscribers in Zimbabwe to maintain and pay for an uninterrupted service.

Zimbabwe's increasingly restrictive stance on money leaving the country is raising fears over MultiChoice Africa and MultiChoice Zimbabwe's future in the country.

The use of Visa credit cards outside of Zimbabwe has already been disabled without prior warning and Econet Wireless has also been forced to stop payments for DStv subscriptions in Zimbabwe in American dollar through its mobile money platform EcoCash.

DStv payment platforms in Zimbabwe like OK Zimbabwe and Telecash have also abruptly shuttered DStv payments over the past few months.

Many Zimbabweans now have to convert their money into South African rand and do payment that way, but there's also amount limits being imposed, making this option increasingly more difficult and almost impossible as well.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe on Tuesday in a statement said it's not leaving Zimbabwe or ending its DStv service.

"Erroneous reports have been made by uninformed people that there has been a cessation or curtailing of DStv services to Zimbabwe," said Lovemore Mangwende, MultiChoice Zimbabwe CEO.

"These rumours are untrue and DStv services remain fully functional. Any speculation to the contrary is inaccurate and possibly misguided. Our call centre and customer care centres are able to assist with answers to queries."

StarTimes' StarSat not authorised to broadcast in Zim

Meanwhile Zimbabwe's Broadcasting Association of Zimbabwe slammed fake news reports that China's StarTimes had been granted a licence to broadcast its South African branded StarSat pay-TV service in Zimbabwe, saying stories are "patently false".

Sites likes Advanced Television and Telecompaper this week reported that China's StarTimes pay-TV operator has launched in Zimbabwe under the StarSat banner that's also used in South Africa by StarTimes Media South Africa and On Digital Media (ODM). 

"The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) would like to advise the public that the claim to the effect that a company called StarTimes has been issued with a licence to provide a direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service in Zimbabwe is patently false," said Obert Muganyura, BAZ CEO.

"The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe would like to put it on record that StarTimes has not been issued with a licence to provide any broadcasting service in Zimbabwe and is therefore not authorised to provide its StarSat service within the territory of Zimbabwe."

"The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe would like to urge the media to verify facts with the relevant authorities to avoid misleading the public".

DAILY TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 17 February 2017.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read, and that you should too:


■ CNN CEO Jeff Zucker says CNN not damaged by "fake news" claims.
Says CNN "still incredibly trusted" as USA president Donald Trump keeps slamming CNN as "very fake news".

■ MultiChoice Zimbabwe and DStv isn't the problem - the Zimbabwe government is.
The Zimbabwean government slammed for wanting to close the door on companies like DStv, instead of growing the broadcasting industry.

■ MUST-READ: The Great Unbundling now spinning in reverse.
The New York Times on how the internet is actually preserving subscription television and other services (music, etc.) and how bundling value together is helping pay-TV and other players, as well as consumers in the new world of delivering news and entertainment content.

■ Interviewing Donald Trump, aka ...
... How to get straight answers from difficult people. A journalist who's spent a lifetime asking questions people don't want to answer, give some tips on how to try and get some answers.

Zimbabwe Reserwe Bank slams Zimbabweans for 'illogical' behaviour of subscribing to and paying for DStv and worsening the country's foreign exchange situation.

File this one in that can't-make-it-up category: The Zimbabwe Reserve Bank has the bizarre audacity to slam Zimbabweans for subscribing to, and paying for, DStv - calling Zimbabwean consumers' pay-for-TV behaviour "illogical" and unsustainable on the Zimbabwe economy.

The bank's restrictive stance on money leaving the country is raising fears on two front - firstly for MultiChoice Africa and MultiChoice Zimbabwe trying to do business in the struggling Zimbabwe economy, and secondly for ordinary Zimbabwean consumers who just want better television and who are prepared to pay for it but might soon not be able to.

Struggling Zimbabwean consumers, looking for entertainment, escapism and connectivity to a bigger world and trying to subscribe to DStv already saw their payment options for DStv subscriptions dwindle the past few months.

Meanwhile the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank's statement through governor of the reserve bank, John Mangudya is raising anxiety that it's going to somehow clamp down on DStv subscribers - driving DStv subscriber numbers down by targeting the payment options available to them.

The Zimbabwe Reserve Bank is upset that Zimbabwean consumers dare to watch DStv and pay for something like it, when they're supposed to buy "local" things like cooking oil.

The Zimbabwe Reserve Bank in its January 2017 monetary statement (find it on pages 62 and 63) says Zimbabwe consumers paying for DStv and thereby allowing foreign exchange to leave the embattled Southern African country, is doing an illogical thing.

Zimbabweans spent U$206.7 million on DStv subscription payments and credit card payments during the second half of 2016 between July and December and Zimbabwe's central bank doesn't like it at all.

The bank says in its statement that the "wasted" money "should have been preserved as foreign exchange for raw materials and other foreign payments that include education". "Use of hard-earned foreign currency in this manner is not sustainable for the economy".

"Spending more foreign exchange on DStv subscriptions rather than on raw materials to produce cooking oil, for example, is not only counter-productive but also illogical."

In short it means that the bank says that DStv Zimbabwe as a business and DStv subscribers in that country paying for it, are worsening Zimbabwe's already extreme cash shortage.

In a normal economy and a real democracy, consumers are allowed to spend and use their discretionary income as they wish as long as it's not illegal. Sadly in Zim, even DStv is now bad according to its big bank. 

The use of Visa credit cards outside of Zimbabwe has already been disabled without prior warning and Econet Wireless has also been forced to stop payments for DStv subscriptions in Zimbabwe in American dollar through its mobile money platform EcoCash.

Many Zimbabweans now have to convert their money into South African rand and do payment that way, but there's also amount limits being imposed, making this option increasingly more difficult and almost impossible as well.

The Zimbabwe government probably thinks bank ATMs are more entertaining that watching DStv.

That must be the reason why Zimbabwean consumers have been limited by the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank in the amount of their money they can withdraw as cash at ATMs per day.

That way, Zimbabweans can experience better entertainment, standing in long queues and enjoying wasting hours of time, trying to get to the front to make withdrawals.

Zim is ripe for entertaining local TV shows but the local Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation probably won't bite. 

An international jetset reality shopping show for Grace could work - maybe even The Great Zimbabwe Bake Off in which she and competitors try their hand at doing lavish birthday cakes for old Bob.

Or what about Desperate Housewives of Harare or Million Dollar Listing Bulawayo? Maybe Fear Factor Zimbabwe would reflect current sentiment the best.

DAILY TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 13 February 2017.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read, and that you should too:


■ Zimbabwe government going to try and revamp Zimbabwe Television (ZTV), slams DStv.
Similar to South Africa's SABC, the Zimbabwe government is desperate to lure back viewers lost to MultiChoice's DStv.
Zimbabwe slams slams DStv for "programmes in conflict with our values and culture" and wants to launch 5 new TV channels as part of digital terrestrial television (DTT) migration to try and win back viewers.


■ Naspers' ShowMax launching in Poland.
The South African subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service will launch in Poland on 15 February costing 5 euro (R70.90) per month. ShowMax's little publicised development hub is of course based in the neighbouring Czech Republic.


■ GOtv Zambia to court to force ZNBC to restore its channels on its pay-TV service.
GOtv Zambia (with MultiChoice Africa as shareholder) wants Zambia's national broadcaster ZNBC to put back its channels and to stop interfering with its digital terrestrial television (DTT) services.

■ For context: It's part of a much bigger fight as rival China's StarTimes - a private foreign company - shockingly bought a 60% share in ZNBC's and its digital migration joint venture. This of course caused ZNBC wanting to dump MultiChoice Africa and GOtv Zambia.

The growing Zambian TV scandal has become so bad that Zambia's government is forced to say "ZNBC has not been sold to StarTimes" although it clearly looks that way.


■ Australian TV news anchor terrorised by a stalker sending death threats.
Peter Hitchener bombarded with death and abuse threats from a crazed stalker.

■ From now on all BBC TV shows will "track their carbon footprint".
BBC says its an attempt to "make TV productions more sustainable". Springwatch is reducing carbon emissions by using waste vegetable oil, while Dragon's Den uses low-energy lighting to keep the temperature of the lights on the contestants down.

■ TV's surprising staying power.
A must-read Economist long-read on the ongoing evolution of television and how "TV is now the best it has ever been".

■ Two abducted and severely abused Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / StarSat 257) staffers released in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The two Congolese were freed 5 days after they were kidnapped when the kidnappers took the two local staffers hostage but left the 3 foreign journalists - a Brit, an Italian and a Kenyan alone.

■ Pakistan TV crew member shot dead.

■ TV set of the diner of the new youth drama Archie on M-Net (DStv 101) diner is so realistic
that an 18-wheeler truck driver stopped at Pop Tate's Chock'lit Shoppe, thinking it was real and open.

■ Russia Today (DStv 407) is expanding; set to launch a French version in France.
RT's French operation is set to expand dramatically with the launch of RT en Français, that will joins RT's existing channels in English, Spanish and Arabic.

■ Why CNN International (DStv 401) now foist White House press briefings on viewers.
Almost every time there's a White House press briefing by the obnoxious Sean Spicer CNN International dumps its scheduled programming to show it although international viewers don't care and are not given actual news - here's why: it lifts viewership in "daytime" in America.

■ Netflix dominates Saturdays in America.
Research suggest people binge-watch most over weekends.

■ American Idol is planning a possible come-back.
But will jump from FOX to NBC.

■ Hong Kong's TV broadcasting industry is in shambles.
The South China Morning Post on the TV biz "slowly committing hara-kiri" and how it's better TV content that might save it.

■ When did TV get so meta?
Vulture on how almost every TV series has now gotten self-referential and self-aware through in-show references.

■ A woman secretly video-recorded on cellphone in restroom on NBCUniversal's Universal Studios lot in Los Angeles.

■ It's time to restore the SABC's image.
Never in the history of the SABC has the image of the public broadcaster been so soiled as by Hlaudi Motsoeneng.

■ Ghana government officials allegedly stole DStv decoders
right out of the president's office.

■ New HBO drama Big Little Lies coming to M-Net (DStv 101) from 22 February
leaves TV's "male anti-hero era" behind.

DAILY TV NEWS ROUND-UP. Today's interesting TV stories to read from TVwithThinus - 8 February 2017.

Here's the latest news about TV that I read, and that you should too:


■ Advertisers flee Russia Today (DStv 407) after Britain's Sunday Times scares them off.
Russia's RT channel details how media enquiries by the Sunday Times made advertising agencies pull their TV commercials out of fear.

■ MultiChoice Zimbabwe's "Free February" DStv subscription a bit of a fail.
After paid-up Zimbabwe DStv subscribers were promised a month's free subscription in February in a promo, MultiChoice Zimbabwe now says it's only for randomly chosen subscribers, not for everyone.

■ Togo shuts down private TV station La Chaine du Futur.
Togo government says it doesn't have the right "permission formalities; Amnesty International says its an attack on freedom of speech.

■ "Am I a prude?"
Bruce Stephenson in The North Coast Courier wonders if the "lusty banging" in The Vikings on M-Net Edge (DStv 102) is too much.

■ China's StarTimes need to catch a wake-up in Ghana
After trashy StarTimes abruptly cancels the Gala competition for soccer which it announced and of which it took over the sponsorship.

■ Disney blames struggling sport channel ESPN for its fall in profits.
As ESPN viewership continues to plunge, the sports channel that once helped pay-TV revenue is down in profits and revenue and now hurting Disney's bottom line.

■ The AMC channel starts looking to the (uncertain future).
With the AMC channel that got dumped by both MultiChoice from DStv and from Starsat, the original home of the stumbling zombie drama The Walking Dead is forced to make plans for an uncertain future.


■ MultiChoice warns of a surge in fake DStv installers in KwaZulu-Natal.
Fake DStv agents and installers are promising DStv subscribers unrealistic services like free DStv package upgrades.
■ Meanwhile fly-by-night fake DStv agents also also invading Botswana with MultiChoice Botswana warning that people are buying South African DStv subscriptions at the border.
■ And in Kenya pirates stealing DStv signals and reselling it are arrested in their illegal distribution nest leaving thousands of "subscribers" without DStv and StarTimes.
■ Meanwhile MultiChoice Ghana has opened an online shop where people can buy DStv decoders and accessories.


■ Row over MultiChoice's Big Brother Naija filmed in South Africa reveals ...
reveals how hard it is to do business in Nigeria says The Economist.
And what a "goofy outcry" over Big Brother Naija done in South Africa.


■ Tellytrack's (DStv 239) absolutely horrible 2017 The Sun Met coverage.
The legendary Martin Locke explains how awful and badly coordinated the Tellytrack channel's coverage was of this year's horce racing event.

■ New TV drama This Is Us gives TV broadcasters hope.
While the new TV season's biggest hit, This Is Us, isn't anywhere on M-Net, DStv or South African television, The New York Times reports why this new drama series is giving hope to American broadcasters.

■ StarTimes acquires rights for StarSat South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa of Pakistan Super League cricket.
The two-year deal will start with the 2017 edition of the Twenty20 franchise tournament starting Thursday until 5 March.

■ Yolisa Phahle, M-Net CEO on why Netflix keeps her up at night.
I was on holiday, but catching up: M-Net boss did an interview in January 2017 with CNN and Eleni Giokos on M-Net's future prospects.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe fires all staff in Bulawayo branch, except for the office messenger, for selling their own decoders during work hours.

MultiChoice has fired all its staff in Zimbabwe's Bulawayo branch, except for the office messenger who protested, after they were allegedly found guilty of selling decoders personally, and during work hours.

The Chronicle reports that MultiChoice Zimbabwe's regional manager as well as 5 other MultiChoice employees were fired. MultiChoice staff from Harare has been temporarily redeployed to Bulawayo.

The fired workers were accused of having misused company resources.

MultiChoice Zimbabwe publicist Elizabeth Dziva told The Chronicle that she would respond to a media enquiry and questions on Monday this week but by the end of Tuesday haven't.