In a surprising turn of events, DStv has decided to cease its operations in Malawi. This decision comes in the wake of a court injunction that was issued against MultiChoice Malawi (MCM) by the High Court in Lilongwe.
The injunction was a result of an application made by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra). MultiChoice Africa, in a recent statement, clarified that MultiChoice Malawi does not provide the DStv service directly to the public and hence cannot determine or modify the tariffs for this service.
What Happened?
The root cause of this decision stems from a legal injunction issued by the High Court in Lilongwe, following an application by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra). The crux of the matter is that MultiChoice Malawi (MCM) was not authorized to set or adjust tariffs for the DStv service.
MultiChoice Africa highlighted that MCM merely provides subscription management services to DStv customers and doesn’t own the DStv service itself.
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What MultiChoice Says
Keabetswe Modimoeng, the executive for corporate affairs and stakeholder relations at MultiChoice Africa Holdings, clarified the situation. He mentioned that while MCM is the licensed operator for GOtv in Malawi and seeks approval from Macra for tariff adjustments, DStv is a separate entity.
It’s provided to the public by MultiChoice Africa, with MCM only managing subscriptions. He emphasized that MultiChoice Africa Holdings is not a licensee of Macra and expressed concerns about the regulator’s attempt to exert control over a service outside its jurisdiction.
Due to the legal implications, including potential imprisonment for MultiChoice Malawi’s management, MultiChoice Africa Holdings felt compelled to terminate the DStv service in the country.
A statement from a Macra official reveals that, “any person who disobeys the High Court’s order of injunction may be found guilty of Contempt of Court and liable to imprisonment.”
MultiChoice Africa Holdings further says as its supplier, MultiChoice Malawi is given “an increasingly adverse regulatory environment”, it is “therefore, left with no option but to terminate the DStv service indefinitely”.
What Next?
DStv subscribers in Malawi are advised to stop payments for the service. Those who’ve already paid will continue to receive services until their current 30-day viewing cycle concludes, which is on or before 10 September.
From 9 August onwards, no new subscriptions or reconnections will be entertained. The future of DStv in Malawi remains uncertain, and many subscribers are left disappointed, having to bid farewell to their favorite shows.
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