MultiChoice Africa Holdings B.V (MAH) notified DStv subscribers of its withdrawal of services from Malawi with immediate effect.
This follows the injunction issued by the High Court in Lilongwe in a matter between MultiChoice Malawi (MCM) and the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) prohibiting an adjustment to the DStv tariffs.
“MCM does not offer the DStv service to the public and therefore cannot set or adjust tariffs for this service, a point repeatedly made to MACRA. As a result, the order handed down to MCM is incapable of being implemented by them but carries with it grave consequences for the directors and management of MultiChoice Malawi, including imprisonment. MAH given the impact on its supplier (MCM) and an increasingly adverse regulatory environment is therefore left with no option but to terminate the DStv service indefinitely,” the company said in a statement.
“Customers are hereby, and with immediate effect, requested to halt payment for the DStv service. Customers who have already paid their new subscription for the DStv service will have those services honored until the current 30 day viewing cycle ends on or before 10 September 2023. From Wednesday, 9 August 2023, no new subscriptions or reconnections will be accepted,” MultiChoice Africa said.