WHAT TO EXPECT

As part of the DStv Premium channel cuts September 2026, MultiChoice is shutting down four DStv channels at 23:59 on 16 September 2026. If you’re on DStv Premium, this is the one to pay attention to: all four channels sit on the Premium package.

The channels closing are M-Net Movies 1, kykNET Lekker, Mzansi Bioskop and Mzansi Music. MultiChoice says the shows and movies on these channels aren’t disappearing, just moving to other channels on the DStv line-up.

Which channels are closing in the DStv Premium channel cuts September 2026

Here’s exactly what’s going off air, and where to find each one right now.

ChannelChannel numberClosing date
M-Net Movies 110416 September 2026, 23:59 SAST
kykNET Lekker14816 September 2026, 23:59 SAST
Mzansi Bioskop16416 September 2026, 23:59 SAST
Mzansi Music32116 September 2026, 23:59 SAST

On the same date, M-Net Movies 2 is set to be renamed M Movies+. It isn’t closing, just getting a new name and, reportedly, a broader movie mix. This rename comes from South African TV journalist Thinus Ferreira, who cited MultiChoice Africa as his source. It hasn’t shown up in a full MultiChoice press release yet, so treat the exact detail as likely but not yet locked in.

What happens to the content

MultiChoice says the programming from all four closing channels will still be available on DStv, just spread across other channels instead of having a dedicated slot. The company hasn’t said exactly where each show or movie is moving to, and it isn’t clear yet whether M-Net Movies 1 content specifically ends up on the renamed M Movies+ channel or elsewhere.

If you regularly watch something on one of these four channels, the safest move is to check the DStv channel guide or app closer to 16 September rather than assuming it lands in the same place.

Why is MultiChoice cutting these channels?

MultiChoice’s explanation, given in a statement reported by several South African outlets, is that it’s consolidating similar content onto fewer, stronger channels rather than spreading it thin across many. The company frames this as a cleaner, easier line-up for subscribers to navigate.

That explanation sits inside a bigger shift. Groupe Canal+ took full control of MultiChoice Group in September 2025. Since then, MultiChoice SA LicenceCo, the locally licensed entity that actually runs DStv in South Africa, has been the one confirming these changes, a structure required to meet South African ownership rules for broadcasters. Under Canal+, the company has leaned harder into cost control and growing its cheaper packages, while Premium has been the tier absorbing most of the cuts.

SuperSport is changing too, from 19 August 2026

The September channel closures aren’t happening in isolation. A separate reshuffle of SuperSport channels is set to take effect from 19 August 2026, about a month before the Premium channel closures:

  • SuperSport Football Plus, carrying premium football including selected UEFA Champions League matches
  • SuperSport Africa
  • SuperSport KickOff
  • SuperSport Extra 2

Some reports also mention an added SportyTV channel around the same time. Coverage of this reshuffle has generally described it as new channels and a reorganisation of sport, rather than a cut, unlike the September closures.

Part of a longer 2026 pattern for DStv Premium

The September closures are the latest in a run of changes that have hit DStv Premium through 2026:

  • January 2026: BET Africa, MTV Base, CBS Reality and CBS Justice were removed as Paramount wound down its African linear channels.
  • Late January 2026: Tlnovelas was removed. It was replaced by Novelas+ on 1 July 2026.
  • 30 April 2026: Showmax, which had been a free add-on for Premium subscribers, shut down. Some of its content moved to DStv Stream.
  • Late June 2026: CineMagic and Magic Showcase closed. Around the same time, MultiChoice confirmed that first-run HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery shows, including House of the Dragon, were no longer available on M-Net or its Catch Up service, due to studio licensing and distribution agreements following the Canal+ takeover.
  • 16 September 2026: M-Net Movies 1, kykNET Lekker, Mzansi Bioskop and Mzansi Music close.

Adding the four January Paramount channels to the four closing in September, some outlets, including Legit.ng, describe Premium as having lost seven channels over the course of 2026. That’s an accurate running total, but it wasn’t announced as a single event. It’s a count built by combining two separate rounds of cuts.

Counting every discontinued DStv channel in 2026, including ones that were later replaced, some reports put the total at 11. Others count 9, depending on whether replacement channels and earlier removals are included. There’s no single official MultiChoice figure for this, so treat any specific total as an estimate rather than a confirmed number.

Is DStv Premium still worth it after these cuts?

That’s the question a lot of subscribers are asking, and there isn’t a clean yes or no answer from MultiChoice. What’s measurable is this: according to MyBroadband’s tracking, Premium hasn’t gained a single new channel in 2026 so far, while the cheaper Access package has picked up WWE, Trace channels and full live coverage of the FIFA World Cup, the first time Access has offered World Cup coverage at that scale.

MyBroadband’s decade comparison also shows the Premium package growing only slightly on paper, from 139 channels in 2016 to 141 in mid-2026, while its satellite price rose from R759 to R979 over the same period, a 29% increase. Premium subscriber numbers have fallen from around 2.1 million to around 1 million over the same decade. MultiChoice hasn’t announced any DStv price increases for 2026, so the current cuts aren’t paired with a price hike, at least for now.

Whether that adds up to Premium losing value is a judgement call for each household, based on what you actually watch. If your viewing leans heavily on general entertainment, sport highlights and international content rather than the specific channels closing, the day-to-day change may be minor. If you rely on kykNET Lekker, Mzansi Bioskop or Mzansi Music specifically, it’s a bigger loss, especially since it isn’t yet clear exactly where that content resurfaces.

Sources

Frequently asked questions on this topic.

Which DStv channels are closing in September 2026? M-Net Movies 1, kykNET Lekker, Mzansi Bioskop and Mzansi Music, all closing at 23:59 SAST on 16 September 2026.

Will the content from these channels still be available? MultiChoice says yes, spread across other DStv channels, but it hasn't detailed exactly where each show or movie moves to.

Is DStv Premium still worth it after the cuts? There's no official answer to that. What's confirmed is that Premium hasn't gained new channels in 2026 while its price has risen over the past decade and its subscriber base has shrunk. Whether it's still worth it depends on what you actually watch.

What are the new SuperSport channels? SuperSport Football Plus, SuperSport Africa, SuperSport KickOff and SuperSport Extra 2, all launching or rebranding from 19 August 2026.

Why is MultiChoice cutting local channels like Mzansi Bioskop and Mzansi Music? MultiChoice says it's consolidating similar content onto fewer, stronger channels for a simpler line-up. It hasn't given a channel-by-channel breakdown of the reasoning.