South Africa’s Showmax streaming service will shut down permanently on Wednesday, 30 April 2026, giving current subscribers four days to watch their remaining content before the platform goes offline.
The closure follows a decision by Canal+, the French media group that now owns MultiChoice, to discontinue Showmax after a single year of heavy losses under the Showmax 2.0 rebuild.
Canal+ described the service as an “expensive failure,” with the platform’s operating losses growing from approximately $154 million to $291 million in a single financial year, as reported by Broadcast Media Africa.
The shutdown was announced in March 2026, and the April 30 deadline is now less than 96 hours away for South African subscribers.
What content is moving and what is not
Not all Showmax content has a confirmed new home. MultiChoice has confirmed that a selection of Showmax Originals will move into a dedicated section within the DStv Stream app from 1 May 2026. Those titles include Shaka iLembe, The Mommy Club and Empini, as well as a number of other locally produced series.
However, the Hollywood catalogue that formed the centrepiece of the Showmax 2.0 relaunch in 2024 has not been confirmed to migrate. That catalogue included content from HBO, Warner Bros, Paramount and Peacock.
MultiChoice has not publicly addressed the fate of those titles after 30 April, and subscribers who joined Showmax primarily for international series and films should not assume that content will be available on DStv Stream from May 1.
The offer being extended to Showmax subscribers
MultiChoice is offering existing Showmax subscribers a migration deal: DStv Stream Compact at R99 per month for 12 months, which matches the standard monthly Showmax subscription price.
Current subscribers can continue watching content as usual until their individual subscription period ends or until April 30, whichever comes first. New Showmax subscriptions and renewals have not been available since 1 April 2026.
The platform’s shutdown has drawn broader scrutiny beyond the subscriber impact. Parliament conducted an oversight visit in March 2026 amid concerns about job losses among Showmax staff, as reported by IOL.
Canal+ is also facing scrutiny from the South African Competition Commission over its broader cost-cutting measures following the takeover of MultiChoice, as reported by Broadcast Media Africa.
MultiChoice has not indicated any possibility of reversing the closure. Canal+ has publicly characterised the Showmax rebuild as a loss-making venture that was commercially untenable.
The DStv Stream app will launch its dedicated Showmax Originals section on 1 May 2026, the day after the shutdown. For subscribers deciding whether to take the R99 migration offer, the window to activate it closes with the platform.
