Bonang Matheba Reacts to Viral Reports of Showmax Shutting Down

• Bonang Matheba was devastated after learning about Showmax shutting down
• The media personality shared a poignant reaction to the reports and led a chorus of disappointed viewers, who shared their frustrations at the news
• This comes months after DStv lost a handful of channels, and several fans shared their predictions on the future of TV for the modern South African

Reports that Showmax is allegedly shutting down have sent shockwaves through South Africa, leaving media icon Bonang Matheba and thousands of fans in disbelief.

Queen B took to her X page on 5 March 2026 to express her shock, leading a massive wave of frustrated subscribers who are mourning the possible loss of the country’s biggest source for local content.

With a brief but heavy-hearted reaction, the media maven exclaimed, "Yoh, no ways," perfectly capturing the shock felt by thousands of fans across the country.

The news comes after Variety revealed that Canal+, the French broadcasting company that acquired MultiChoice in late 2025, would be shutting down Showmax indefinitely.

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It was revealed that the streaming service had been losing money and underperforming for years, and in a bid to cut costs, it has become the latest victim of Canal+'s rightsizing at MultiChoice.

"The decision to axe Showmax was made by the Showmax board and reflects the continued focus of MultiChoice, a Canal+ company, on financial discipline and investment optimisation, in an increasingly competitive and capital-intensive global streaming environment."

In December 2025, MultiChoice parted ways with several major international channels, including BET Africa and MTV Base, after Paramount Africa shut down its local operations. This latest blow to Showmax further cements a difficult era for South African viewers, many of whom feel the golden age of local streaming is being traded for corporate bottom lines.

Showmax was launched in August 2015 and competed with streaming giants like Netflix and Disney+. It became the go-to place for local entertainment and, through its sports-focused plans, it brought the thrill of the English Premier League and local PSL matches directly to fans' devices.

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For Bonang, who has worked extensively with Showmax, from her reality shows Being Bonang and A Very Bonang Year, to hosting several events for them, the news hit like a ton of bricks.

Her sentiments echoed the reactions of several other creatives, who hailed the platform for championing raw, local talent.

Read Bonang Matheba's reaction below.

Social media reacts to Showmax's ending

Subscribers and the online community at large weighed in on Showmax's ending, with some expressing sympathy towards local creatives.

IN_GA_1 said:

"It's bad news for our South African actors."

YoungLi50196499 wrote:

"Multichoice boards are to blame. Its non-adaptation to the streaming and internet era for years led to this hostile takeover. Sad, won't lie."

rareAURA9 posted:

"Another blow to African storytellers. Showmax was one of the few platforms letting bold local content breathe. Now it’s rebranded to regular DStv channels. Foreign owners always come to cut, never build."

AriesNight__ was shattered:

"This is a direct attack on my mental health, and I am not joking."

Fans react to Showmax and DSTV losing HBO

In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to Showmax and DSTV losing HBO content.

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Subscribers took to social media to voice their grievances as they stood to miss out on some of their favourite shows.

Source: Briefly News