The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has confirmed it will be conducting an investigation into MultiChoice.

The probe has been launched in response to allegations that MultiChoice made payments to ANN7 and the SABC, hoping to gain political influence over government policy on Digital Migration.

In a letter sent to the Democratic Alliance at the weekend, who originally lodged the complaint against Multichoice back in November, Icasa confirmed that it had referred the matter to its Compliance and Consumer Affairs division for investigation.

The DA’s Shadow Minister of Communications Phumzile Van Damme said the party welcomes the news.

“The DA is pleased that ICASA has agreed that the payments require investigation,” Van Damme wrote in a statement.  “South Africa deserves to know whether the payments were indeed above board, as Multichoice has maintained.”

“The DA believes that while companies like Multichoice should be allowed the space to do business and create much-needed employment, their conduct must at all times be within the bounds of the law, in line with business ethics and in an environment where competition is not stifled,” she added.