MultiChoice to target illegal streamers next as part of piracy crackdown. Frikkie Jonker, anti-piracy director for broadcast and cybersecurity at MultiChoice-owned Irdeto, revealed that the company is considering going after individuals who paid for and watched pirated content after cases against illegal streaming operators are finalized.
He shared that MultiChoice will consider legal action against the end-users once criminal proceedings against operators have been finalized.
According to Jonker, DStv uses tools to analyze illegal streams and identify those responsible for pirating DStv content, and authorities are aware of the end users.
“We have identification tools that we can use to analyse a stream of a pirate operation. By analyzing it, we can say that the stream is using account number ‘123’, and then we take that account down,” Jonker said.
Recall that after a recent arrest linked to the Waka TV pirate streaming operation, authorities seized an illicit streaming device, banners advertising the unauthorized sale of DStv Premium content, and a mobile phone with the contact details of individuals who allegedly paid for the illegal service.
Jonker emphasised the importance of the crackdown, stating that the impact of pirate streaming services on platforms such as DStv Stream and Netflix is difficult to quantify due to their size.
Recently, MultiChoice conducted raids leading to the arrest of several suspects linked to pirate streaming operations. In June 2024, the company and Irdeto worked with Western Cape police to shut down the pirate streaming service Waka TV, enhancing content integrity.
The arrests so far
In July, MultiChoice and Eldorado Park police arrested Jurgen Johannes Potgieter for allegedly selling login credentials and pirate devices for unauthorised access to premium content.
The company, in partnership with Milnerton police, arrested two suspects in a piracy ring in Cape Town. On October 1, another suspect was apprehended in Germiston near Johannesburg. This individual, a Botswana national without legal residency, appeared in court on October 3 for alleged streaming piracy and is scheduled for a bail hearing on October 9.
Initially arrested for business break-ins and theft, further investigation uncovered stolen goods, cash, and several pirate streaming devices associated with the illegal Waka TV service.
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The suspect reportedly admitted to acting as a reseller for Waka TV and operating through a business WhatsApp account, where he distributed pirate login credentials to his customers, charging them a fee for unauthorised access to premium content.
In its fight against piracy, the company recently advocated for South African legal reforms that would require Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to websites that illegally stream its licenced content without a court order.
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