Multichoice exceeds 20 million subscribers

MultiChoice, the South African video entertainment company, has recently achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 20 million subscribers for the first time. The company's success can be attributed in part to the impact of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns, which have led to more people seeking entertainment options at home. MultiChoice CEO, Calvo Mawela, credits the company's strategic focus on investing in local content as a key driver of subscriber growth. Mawela emphasizes the importance of offering a mix of education, information, and entertainment to cater to subscribers' needs, a strategy that has proven successful over the past few years. Despite the challenging economic environment and increased competition, MultiChoice remains optimistic about its growth prospects and is actively exploring new avenues for expansion. The company's commitment to cost efficiencies and investment in local content and sports content are seen as key pillars for sustained success. MultiChoice's recent partnership with streaming services like Netflix and Amazon has sparked scrutiny from competition authorities, but the company remains confident in the benefits of such collaborations for consumers. In this interview with CNBC Africa, Calvo Mawela shares insights into MultiChoice's growth strategies and addresses concerns about competition and regulatory investigations.