In a major shake-up for South Africa’s entertainment scene, the DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festival has lost its headline sponsor.
It has been reported by “Sunday World” that Canal+, the new owners of MultiChoice, has pulled the plug on the partnership as part of a massive corporate restructuring.
The decision marks a turning point for the event, which has been synonymous with the DStv brand for over a decade.
Known for bringing global superstars like Janet Jackson and Jill Scott to Johannesburg, the festival now faces an uncertain future without its primary financial backer.
The move comes as Canal+ implements a strict budget across its African operations.
Since taking full control of MultiChoice in 2025, the French media giant has been focused on cutting costs to offset years of falling subscriber numbers and heavy losses from the Showmax streaming platform.
According to the reports, the new bosses at Canal+ saw the festival as a “vanity project” that cost too much money. They are currently trying to save €400 million (R7.5 billion) by 2030, so they are cutting back on expensive parties and events.
Instead of sponsoring lifestyle festivals, the company wants to focus on the basics: improving satellite signals and making decoders cheaper for everyday customers.
The loss of DStv leaves a massive hole in the festival’s budget.
While the event is expected to continue, organisers are now in a race against time to find a new naming rights partner.
Without a major corporate sponsor, fans are concerned that the 2026 edition may see a reduction in the quality of international performers and a smaller overall production.
According to online entertainment blog “TVwithThinus”: “The sponsorships of all arts and cultural festivals that used to be sponsored by MultiChoice and M-Net channels like kykNET and Mzansi Magic, as well as the money that went from MultiChoice to support film festivals like the Silwerskermfees and Joburg Film Festival are going to come under serious threat due to the Canal+ takeover.
