Heritage Month is designed to recognize South Africa’s cultural traditions, and the 2025 theme is ‘Re-imagining our heritage institutions for a new era.’ In response, MultiChoice Group celebrated Heritage Month in the country of its headquarters by participating in the festivities.
Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEFA) held an outreach event in Polokwane, in which MultiChoice, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), spoke about the growing threat of piracy on South Africa’s screen economy.
During a panel discussion “Piracy in the Screen Economy: Building Authentic Township Stories”, convened by the Film & Publication Board, Tebogo Matlawa, MultiChoice Head of Scripted Content for Middle and Mass SA, emphasized the impact of piracy on the livelihoods of creators.
“The way these pirates have been able to formalize themselves makes it difficult for some people to distinguish whether they are dealing with a legitimate aggregator of content or a pirated platform. This compromises the work and income of the original creators.”
The discussion underscored the importance of a multi-pronged industry response, including:
- Securing digital distribution pathways.
- Expanding training and capacity-building for township filmmakers.
- Strengthening collaboration between rights-owners, enforcement agencies and industry bodies on content takedowns and investigations.
Also during the session, SEFA’s Acting CEO highlighted the prevalence of counterfeit goods within South Africa’s creative markets, paving the way for a focused dialogue on how piracy manifests, from illegal DVD distribution and unlicensed streaming to unauthorized re-packaging and distribution across informal platforms.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Earlier in October, MultiChoice publicized its support for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which is acknowledged in countries worldwide. “The company continues to invest in advanced cybersecurity systems, global best practices, and partnerships that ensure its platforms remain secure and resilient,” said MultiChoice in a prepared statement.
“An equally important part of MultiChoice’s cybersecurity focus is the protection of intellectual property, a cornerstone of Africa’s creative industry. Piracy remains one of the biggest threats to the sustainability of local storytelling, robbing creators, producers, and investors of their rightful earnings. MultiChoice has taken a firm stand against this illegal activity by collaborating with global partners such as Irdeto, a world leader in digital platform cybersecurity. Together, they have developed advanced anti-piracy technologies that detect, disrupt, and remove illegal content distribution networks in real time.”
Why it matters
Panellists noted that these illicit practices not only strip filmmakers of income but also disrupt the value chain across licensing, exhibition, taxation and employment. Township filmmakers, who already face significant challenges with funding and market access, are particularly vulnerable.
Advocating for stronger intellectual property enforcement and clearer licensing frameworks for emerging producers, MultiChoice’s Tebogo Matlawa further stressed the significance of intellectual property rights protection by sharing that it is very important to advocate for the protection of IP rights. Even if a creator is a junior filmmaker working under another producer, the originator of the work must retain the IP rights. “We are working to grow the industry from this perspective” he stated.
Further reading
MultiChoice honoured to join Heritage Month dialogue on piracy in the creative sector. Press release. October 21, 2025. MultiChoice Group
Protecting what matters most in the connected world of data. Press release. October 8, 2025. MultiChoice Group
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[ Note: MultiChoice Group owns Irdeto, a supporter of Piracy Monitor. However, in order to maintain neutrality, Piracy Monitor does not endorse offerings of its sponsors. ]
