Showmax Shutting Down In South Africa After 11 Years
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the African entertainment industry, the Showmax Board has officially taken the decision to discontinue the service in the near future, closing the curtain on the continent’s flagship streaming platform after 11 years.
The bombshell announcement, communicated to subscribers on 5 March 2026, follows a “comprehensive review” by the board of the new French owners, Canal+. The decision reflects a brutal new focus on “financial discipline” after years of what the company has now admitted were “unsustainable” losses.
According to insiders, the platform has been a “money-guzzler” that ultimately failed to hit subscriber targets despite a multi-million dollar relaunch just two years ago.
“This decision was made by the Showmax board of directors and reflects the continued focus of MultiChoice, a Canal+ company, on financial discipline and investment optimization, in an increasingly competitive and capital-intensive global streaming environment,” a MultiChoice statement read.
No Immediate Shutdown For Subscribers
While the news marks the end of the road for Showmax, the company has moved quickly to reassure its customers that they won’t be left in the lurch. There will be no immediate blackout, and for now, it’s business as usual for binge-watchers across the continent.
“Importantly, at the moment there will be no interruption to your current service,” Showmax confirmed in a notice sent to subscribers. “You can continue streaming as usual, and no action is required from you at this time.”
MultiChoice has promised to communicate a detailed timeline for the shutdown well in advance, ensuring a “smooth transition” for its subscriber base, which is a priority for the group.
The Billion-Rand Gamble That Failed
The closure of Showmax is a staggering end to a project that represented Africa’s best chance at building a homegrown rival to global streaming giants like Netflix and Disney+. Launched initially in August 2015, the platform was relaunched with much fanfare in February 2024, backed by deep-pocketed US partner NBCUniversal and powered by its Peacock technology.
That relaunch was a massive financial bet. Between them, MultiChoice and NBCUniversal poured a combined US$309 million (approx R5.7 billion) in equity funding into Showmax to fuel content and technology. MultiChoice alone revealed it had pumped over R3 billion into the project.
However, the investment failed to deliver the promised growth. Instead of challenging for the top spot, Showmax bled cash. Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada didn’t mince his words during an investor call in January, admitting that Showmax was “not a commercial success” and that its failure was “quite obvious.”
“The substantial annual losses experienced by the Showmax business have proved unsustainable,” MultiChoice stated, revealing that trading losses had worsened significantly even as revenue declined.
No Job Cuts But A “Huge Blow” To Local Filmmakers
In a significant silver lining for staff, the company has confirmed that the decision to discontinue Showmax will not result in any job losses. As part of the acquisition deal with Canal+, MultiChoice is protected by a three-year moratorium on retrenchments, meaning the team will be absorbed into other areas of the business.
“The decision to discontinue Showmax services will not involve any retrenchments,” the group confirmed. “The group will be engaging and supporting employees through various transition options.”
However, the same cannot be said for the creative industry. An award-winning South African filmmaker, who has produced multiple series for the platform, described the shutdown as a devastating blow to local storytelling.
“Showmax was one of the only platforms available to us that was willing to back stories that were bold and authentic in a market that has traditionally always played things safe,” the filmmaker said. “From ‘Koek’ to ‘Adulting,’ ‘Spinners’ to ‘Catch Me a Killer,’ these are films and series which would never be created by rival platforms or broadcasters. Losing Showmax is a huge blow to the local industry and audiences.”
The filmmaker added, “If 2026 is the Year of the Horse, it feels like this one is getting sent to the factory to be turned into glue and cheap pies.”
MultiChoice has already begun the process of rebranding Showmax Originals to fit under its linear TV channels like M-Net and Africa Magic, suggesting that while the streaming platform is dying, some content may find a new home on traditional DStv.
Canal+ has indicated it will now focus on deploying its own in-house streaming platform and may look to expand its existing partnership with Netflix to bundle services for African consumers. For now, the countdown is on for Showmax subscribers.