South Africa’s Competition Commission to probe Showmax shutdown
On Techpoint Digest, we discuss South Africa’s Competition Commission's investigation into Showmax's shutdown, Africa’s AI push moves from plans to action, and Kenya's 15% tax on big tech companies.
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Tungjatjeta,<br />
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Victoria from Techpoint here,<br />
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Here’s what I’ve got for you today:<br />
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Competition Commission to probe Showmax shutdown<br />
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Africa’s AI push moves from plans to action<br />
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Kenya to enforce 15% tax on big tech companies<br />
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SA’s Competition Commission to probe Showmax shutdown<br />
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Fine, regulatory<br />
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South Africa’s Competition Commission is set to investigate decisions taken by Groupe Canal+ following its takeover of MultiChoice, including the controversial shutdown of Showmax. The probe will focus on whether Canal+ is sticking to the merger conditions agreed before the deal was approved.<br />
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This means that regulators are now taking a closer look at how Canal+ is running MultiChoice post-acquisition. Lawmakers are questioning whether the company has honoured commitments tied to local ownership, competition, and public interest, especially as concerns grow about production shifting to South Africa and the broader impact on the local industry.<br />
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Why should you care? Showmax wasn’t just another streaming platform; it played a key role in supporting South African storytelling and local production. Its shutdown, alongside cost-cutting moves, raises concerns about job losses, reduced opportunities for creatives, and the increasing dominance of foreign-owned content platforms in the market.<br />
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This latest move builds on recent pressure from South African lawmakers, who have already called for deeper scrutiny into the Showmax closure and Canal+’s broader strategy. Parliament’s communications committee has even scheduled oversight visits to broadcasters like e.tv and MultiChoice to better understand what’s happening on the ground.<br />
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For context, Canal+ structured its takeover in a way that allowed it to gain effective control without breaching foreign ownership rules enforced by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa. By limiting its voting rights to 20% while holding a larger economic stake, the deal avoided regulatory triggers, a move that is now drawing fresh q...
