It’s a bit surprising to learn that Showmax has 17% of the streaming market share, only 10% behind Netflix as the leader, yet the SA service will be shutting down soon.
Netflix has 27% streaming market share in SA, Showmax has 17% but it’s shutting down. MultiChoice is shutting down its streaming service which launched in August 2015 – even before Netflix came to South Africa.
Though MultiChoice Canal+ described Showmax as “an expensive failure”, it was tied for the third most streamed service in South Africa in the last quarter of 2025.
According to JustWatch SVOD Market Shares statistics, last year Netflix had 27% market share, with Prime Video second with 25% and Showmax and Mubi tied on 17%.
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Showmax’s Decline and Future in South Africa: Subscription Details and Local Content Support
Showmax though, seems to have been in steady decline with its number for 2025 – as it had around 25% at the beginning of the year and by the end of December it had fallen by approximately 8%.
For DStv premium subscribers, Showmax comes bundled with the monthly subscription which stands at R979 for the decoder package and R799 for streaming only.
It’s not clear when exactly when Showmax will actually stop streaming in South Africa, but instead it will be ‘phased out over time’.
Showmax is also a great supporter of local content, with shows like Adulting, The Wife and The Real Housewives of Durban proving to be hits.
It’s unclear at this stage if DStv will attempt to provide a platform for local content like this once Showmax rides into the South African sunset.
@Michael_Sherman
IOL Entertainment
