Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada has confirmed that the company will launch its flagship over-the-top (OTT) platform, the Canal+ app, in South Africa to replace Showmax. The decision follows a formal announcement by MultiChoice on March 5, 2026, to shut down the homegrown streamer after years of accelerating financial losses.
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Saada’s assessment of Showmax was blunt, describing it as a “severely loss-making activity” with no prospect of recovery. Over the past three financial years, the platform recorded combined trading losses of R8.7 billion. While MultiChoice had initially projected that losses would narrow by 2025, the opposite occurred, with annual deficits swelling from R1.2 billion in 2023 to a staggering R4.9 billion in 2025. Canal+ maintains that these numbers became unsustainable in a capital-intensive global market dominated by giants like Netflix.
The transition to the Canal+ app mirrors a strategy already successfully deployed across French-speaking Africa. Saada explained that the company’s approach to direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television differs from the North American model. By ensuring all satellite subscribers have integrated access to the OTT platform, Canal+ has managed to mitigate the high “decay rate” typically seen when traditional TV users migrate to streaming.
David Mignot, CEO of Canal+ Africa, added that the company is working to ensure that Showmax’s existing content and features are eventually integrated into DStv Stream. This consolidation is intended to create a more robust, “single-experience” ecosystem for viewers.
Despite the shutdown, MultiChoice has assured Showmax’s workforce that the closure will not involve retrenchments; instead, employees will be supported through various internal transition options.
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Subscribers have also been notified via email that there will be no immediate interruption to their service. Showmax emphasized that users can continue streaming as usual for the time being and promised that clear timelines and transition steps would be communicated well in advance.
Ultimately, the move signals a shift in focus toward long-term sustainability. By phasing out the high marketing and technology overheads associated with Showmax, Canal+ aims to build a more competitive, streamlined business that leverages its existing international infrastructure to serve the African continent.
