DStv SA hikes prices by 4.3%

By Ntombi Mhlongo

Thousands of emaSwati who subscribe to the South African DStv will have to pay an extra 4.3 per cent in subscriptions starting on April 1. This follows MultiChoice’s announcement of its 2023 price increases.

Despite the existence of Multichoice Eswatini, an entity that allows local DStv customers to enjoy five packages with more than 200 channels, thousands of emaSwati are known to use the South African packages, something that has been discouraged for years.

In a statement, Multichoice South Africa announced that with the nearly five per cent escalation in the Premium subscription and the access fee, a complete Premium subscription will total E994 per month from April.

It said that the access fee allows subscribers to use PVR functionality on their decoders, or ability to add an additional decoder elsewhere in their homes (XtraView).

The pay-tv operator says the average increase of 4.3 per cent across its various packages is “far lower than projected consumer price inflation for 2023”.

It acknowledged that consumers are facing pressure due to “continued rolling blackouts nationwide” as well as “remnants of the pandemic”. Promotional pricing for Add Movies bundle (at E79 per month) has been made permanent.

This allows subscribers who are on Compact Plus, Compact, Family, or Access packages to add M-Net Movies 1, M-Net Movies 2 and fliekNET to their subscription. It has been offering this at a reduced fee of E79 since January.

Prices for its streaming-only packages remain unchanged. The subscription for a streaming-only Premium package is E699 – a significant difference from the full-priced satellite option, and an even bigger jump if the Access Fee is included.