South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, recently stated that his department has no plans to introduce a satellite TV service to compete with DStv. Despite this, he mentioned that Siyaya TV and Close TV still hold valid licenses but are facing challenges in launching their services due to a lack of funding.
In 2015, Icasa granted and issued two additional subscription service licenses to Siyaya TV and Close TV, which are valid for 15 years. However, both license holders have been unable to commence operations due to various reasons, including a lack of startup capital.
Siyaya TV initially aimed to revolutionize broadcasting in South Africa and secured rights to Bafana Bafana’s live matches. It was set to broadcast these matches starting in April 2015, following the expiration of the team’s contract with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
With regards to funding, reports suggested that Siyaya intended to charge a monthly subscription fee of R70, primarily targeting black middle-class and lower-income earners, particularly football fans.
On the other hand, Close TV had announced its plans to launch a customizable pay-TV service in South Africa, offering niche audience-specific bundles. The service was also set to cater to the LGBTQIA community, aiming to provide quality international and local content.
Despite these ambitious plans, as of 2022, the only remnant of Siyaya TV is the Moja Love channel on DStv. Close TV’s aspirations also did not come to fruition, and its content was previously available on the Openview platform but has since been removed from the satellite TV service.
In a recent development, Close TV commissioned its first original South African series, “The G-List,” featuring local celebrities Kyle Clarke, DJ Lula Odiba, and Mthaux.
