South Africa's Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications has officially launched an investigation into Canal+ following the shutdown of streaming service Showmax and growing concerns about job losses across the local film and television industry.
What Happened
The committee summoned Canal+ to explain how the Showmax shutdown and the freezing of commissions align with the "Public Interest Commitments" the company made to the Competition Tribunal as a condition of its acquisition of MultiChoice.
On 17 March 2026, both the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) and the Competition Commission briefed the committee. Their primary focus is ensuring Canal+ complies with all regulatory conditions and public interest commitments tied to the MultiChoice acquisition.
SABC Protections
Regulators are also actively involved in negotiations to safeguard a fair competitive environment for public broadcasters, particularly the SABC. The concern is that the Canal+ acquisition could distort the competitive landscape for South Africa's public broadcaster at a time when it is already under financial pressure.
What's Next
The committee has announced a special oversight visit to the broadcast sector — including MultiChoice — scheduled for 31 March and 1 April 2026.
Why This Matters for African Filmmakers
The Canal+/MultiChoice deal is the largest media acquisition on the African continent. Showmax was a significant commissioner of local content, funding original productions across South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and beyond. Its shutdown raises serious questions about:
- Local content commissioning pipelines — productions in development or pre-production face uncertainty
- Crew and talent employment — job losses ripple through the production ecosystem
- Distribution channels — one fewer platform for African stories to reach audiences
- Regulatory precedent — whether public interest commitments in media M&A will be enforced
FRA will continue tracking this story as it develops.
Sources:
Source: mybroadband.co.za