MultiChoice Group will shut down its streaming platform Showmax, ending the service after 11 years.
The decision follows MultiChoice’s takeover by Canal+ and comes after the company recorded heavy and sustained losses from the streaming business.
“MultiChoice, part of CANAL+ SA, today announces the forthcoming discontinuation of the Showmax service,” the company said in a statement.
It added that the platform’s annual losses had become unsustainable.
Showmax has notified subscribers by email about the planned shutdown.
“Following a comprehensive review, the Showmax Board has taken the decision to discontinue the Showmax service in the near future,” the message read.
For now, the service will continue to run. Subscribers do not need to take any action yet.
The company said more details, including timelines and transition plans, will be shared before the shutdown.
The closure comes months after Canal+ completed a roughly $3 billion acquisition of MultiChoice, creating a media group operating in about 70 countries across Africa, Europe and Asia, with more than 40 million subscribers.
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MultiChoice said the shutdown will not result in job losses.
Instead, the company plans to launch a new in-house streaming platform focused on African and international audiences.
Showmax launched in 2015 in South Africa and later expanded to over 40 countries across Africa, offering local and international content.
The platform was built to compete with global streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.
However, MultiChoice said rising competition and costs made the service difficult to sustain.
Despite the closure, the company said streaming remains central to its long-term strategy.