MultiChoice claims piracy victory
October 25, 2023
By Chris Forrester
MultiChoice reports it has closed down a video pirate in Krugersdorp, a city north-west of Johannesburg, South Africa. Irdeto provides the protection for MultiChoice systems.
The pirate, Pieter Lombard, was convicted for his role in facilitating unauthorised access to copyrighted content. Lombard was arrested on November 12th 2020 in Monument Park, Krugersdorp, with 12 illegal internet streaming devices in his possession.
On October 20th 2023 Lombard was found guilty under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act and sentenced to a fine of R24,000 (about €1200) or 12 months in prison suspended for five years.
“This conviction is not just a win for our organisation but signifies hope for every artist, producer and stakeholder in the creative industry. It is a clear message that piracy will not be tolerated, and we will relentlessly continue our fight against it,” said Irdeto’s broadcasting cybersecurity anti-piracy director Frikkie Jonker.
Copyright Coalition of South Africa and Partners Against Piracy chair, Chola Makgamathe, added: “Slowly but surely, we will win the war against piracy – we continue to create awareness on the scourge of piracy by educating the general public of the negative impact of consuming illegal content.”