South Africans Abandon DStv Amid Rising Costs and Streaming Competition

(The Post Script)- South Africa’s pay-TV giant, DStv, is experiencing a significant decline in subscribers as consumers increasingly opt for more affordable and flexible streaming services. Between September 2023 and September 2024, DStv’s 90-day active subscriber base dropped by 495,000, a 5.7% decrease from 8.6 million to 8.1 million.

This trend, known as “cord-cutting,” reflects a global shift where viewers cancel traditional pay-TV subscriptions in favor of streaming platforms. In South Africa, the surge in over-the-top (OTT) services has been notable, with subscribers increasing from 3.7 million in 2017 to 8.3 million in 2024.

Several factors contribute to DStv’s subscriber decline. Price increases, such as the April 2025 hike in subscription fees across all packages, have played a role. For instance, the Premium package increased from R929 to R979 per month, and the Compact Plus package rose from R549 to R659. Additionally, DStv’s initial limitation on its streaming service to one device at a time led to customer dissatisfaction, although the company reversed this decision in March 2025, allowing two concurrent streams.

Competition from streaming services has also been a significant factor. International platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ offer competitive pricing and content. For example, Netflix’s Premium plan allows four concurrent streams in 4K quality at R50 per stream, while DStv Stream Premium offers two streams in 1080p at R350 per stream.

In response to these challenges, DStv has introduced measures such as bundling Showmax with Premium subscriptions and offering discounted rates for Compact subscribers. However, with the continued rise of affordable streaming options and changing consumer preferences, DStv faces ongoing pressure to adapt and retain its subscriber base.

As media analyst Thabo Mokoena notes, “The media landscape is evolving rapidly. Traditional pay-TV providers like DStv must innovate and offer more value to compete with the flexibility and affordability of streaming services.” The coming months will be critical for DStv as it navigates these challenges and seeks to retain its position in South Africa’s competitive media market.