Another DStv piracy boss nailed in South Africa – more arrests to come
The MultiChoice Group says that it has nailed another alleged DStv content pirate—this time in Gauteng.
This follows the arrest and charging of one of the key players in the Waka TV piracy network in Cape Town last week.
Multichoice said the latest arrest was made in collaboration with Irdeto and South African enforcement agencies and is another step forward in its fight against piracy in the country.
The suspect was arrested for alleged ties to the illegal sale of internet streaming pirate devices which allowed individuals to access MultiChoice content, violating several legal statutes.
The suspect was arrested on 4 June 2024 by the Serious Commercial Crime Unit of the Hawks (Gauteng Province) on the following charges:
- Section 2 of the Cybercrime Act 19 of 2020 (unauthorized access to content)
- Sections 44 & 45 of the RICA Act 70 of 2002 (possession and sale of an infringing device)
- Section 27 of the Copyright Act 98 of 1978 (infringement of a rightsholder’s rights)
They were granted bail of R3,000, and the case is scheduled for a hearing on 18 June 2024 at the Kempton Park Magistrate Court.
“The apprehended suspect managed several pirate customers and resellers, as well as illegally distributed live TV channels, including several DStv channels, movies, and series.
“The disruption caused by this raid is a significant blow to the illegal streaming industry in Africa,” Multichoice said.
“Acts of piracy, ranging from illegal streaming to black-market digital piracy, are forms of copyright infringement that undermine the efforts of content providers and the software industry. They also pose a digital threat to the commercial distribution of content,” said Frikkie Jonker, Irdeto broadcasting cybersecurity anti-piracy director.
This latest raid follows the successful raid and arrest of a key suspect involved in one of the most extensive pirate operations in Africa, known as Waka TV, which occurred on 31 May 2024 in the Western Cape.
Multichoice said that these enforcement actions in the Western Cape and Gauteng are “just the beginning of a series of planned operations against illegal streaming outlets across South Africa”.
It warned on Wednesday (5 June) that subscribers to these services are also in the crosshairs, and face penalties and fines for purchasing illegal streams.
“MultiChoice is actively working with the South African Police Services as investigations continue into the thousands of individuals connected to these pirate networks.
“Resellers supporting these illegal operations are also under investigation. This collaborative effort aims
to dismantle the entire network and bring all perpetrators to justice,” it said.
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