MultiChoice sheds subs in Southern Africa
June 17, 2020
By Chris Forrester
African pay-TV giant MultiChoice has lost 41 per cent of its subscribers in Zimbabwe, representing some 92,000 former viewing homes, as the financial downturn hits the nation – not helped by typical 18 hours-a-day power cuts and the absence of dollars in the market to actually pay subsscription fees.
MultiChoice says it still has around 98,000 subscribers in Zimbabwe, and while the power supply problems have eased the lack of hard currency remains.
Much of the power supply problem is down to a severe drought which has hit Zimbabwe and neighbouring Zambia as hydroelectric water supplies over the Kariba Dam was impacted.
Zambia’s subscriber losses were worse. MultiChoice says it lost 104,000 subscribers in the nation, partly the result of power black-outs and also currency challenges.