DStv Axes 2 More Channels After Dropping Mzansi Bioskop and Mzansi Music, SA Demands Lower Prices
- MultiChoice confirmed it will remove M-Net Movies 1 and kykNET Lekker from the DStv channel line-up on 16 September 2026
- The cuts raised questions about whether DStv subscribers will pay the same price for the M-Net Movies add-on package with one fewer channel
- MultiChoice responded to questions about the removals, citing a shift towards fewer, stronger channels for a better viewing experience
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Two more DStv channels are on the chopping block, and subscribers are already questioning whether their bills will reflect the losses.
Independent TV and film critic Thinus Ferreira reported on 7 August 2026 that MultiChoice will remove M-Net Movies 1 (DStv 104) and kykNET Lekker (DStv 148) from the DStv platform on 16 September 2026. The news arrived just a day after Ferreira had already broken the story that Mzansi Bioskop and Mzansi Music channels faced the axe, making this a significant week of cuts for the pay-TV giant.
What happens to the M-Net Movies package?
One of the more confusing outcomes of the M-Net Movies 1 removal is what it means for the existing add-on package. DStv subscribers currently pay extra to bundle both M-Net Movies 1 and M-Net Movies 2 together. With M-Net Movies 1 gone, the package effectively shrinks to a single channel, yet there has been no announcement of a price reduction to match.
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Ferreira also pointed out the branding oddity this creates: retaining a channel called "M-Net Movies 2" while there is no longer a "Movies 1" makes little practical sense to consumers.
kykNET Lekker (DStv 148) fares no better. The channel, which launched in March 2020 and was created specifically for DStv Access subscribers, will be shut down just six years after going live. Its removal means Access-tier paying customers will lose content that was originally designed with them in mind.
M-Net Movies 1 has a longer history, having originally launched as M-Net Magic in 1995 before being rebranded as M-Net Movies 1 in 2005. The channel went through several additional name and genre changes before eventually reverting to the M-Net Movies 1 identity.
Why Canal+ is closing M-Net Movies 1 and kykNET Lekker
When Ferreira asked for specific reasons behind both closures and when the decisions were made, MultiChoice provided a statement.
"As viewing habits continue to change, MultiChoice is refining the DStv channel line-up to match. Rather than spreading similar content across many channels, we're concentrating on fewer, stronger channels, giving subscribers a cleaner, easier-to-navigate line-up and a better viewing experience overall," MultiChoice said.
The response did not address the pricing question directly, leaving subscribers in the dark about whether they will pay the same rate for a reduced offering.
Mzansi reacted with frustration to the news:
@bryanlabaz remarked:
"The chop continues 🤦🏾‍♂️ - but maybe it will bring better customer satisfaction with more centralised movie channels, rather than recycling ♻️ old movies across multiple channels"
@Eircans asked:
"Are they dumping the price as well? This turnaround strategy will result in more subscriber loss."
@RwexYamkela suggested:
"These channel cuts should also come with price cuts then."
@whiteryan30 shared:
"And the price stays the same? They clearly don't know South Africans. More cancellations coming. Canal+ don't know who they're messing with now."
@mwangiian2031 remarked:
"M-Net Movies 1 》 CANAL+ Cinéma 🤔"
MultiChoice renames SuperSport channels
In related news, Briefly News recently reported that DStv is also rolling out major changes to its SuperSport lineup.
From 18 August, several SuperSport Variety channels will be renamed with sport-specific branding, including the launch of SuperSport Football Plus as the dedicated home for premium football content such as UEFA Champions League matches.
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Source: Briefly News
