- MultiChoice and a team of local cybercrime agencies have arrested the person responsible for WakaTV.
- WakaTV is an illegal broadcasting platform that steals live channels from DStv, as well as series and movies.
- Thousands of people pay for WakaTV and now these people are in the sights of MultiChoice.
The largest African digital entertainment provider, MultiChoice, says that it has won a major victory over what it calls “one of the most extensive pirate operations in Africa” – pirate streaming platform WakaTV.
The platform is in the guise of an app that streams entertainment via Android TV box devices as well as Chromecast and Skyworth Smart TV. It is also available on mobile. Users pay for access to the app like a legit streaming platform, with a year’s worth of access priced at R1 500.
WakaTV is based in Cape Town and has thousands of local users, which is why MultiChoice, cybersecurity firm Iredeto and the Western Cape Commercial Crime Investigation Unit teamed up to take it down.
According to MultiChoice, the team-up lead to a “meticulously planned raid” on 31st May 2024, which saw an arrest of a key suspect involved in WakaTV.
“The success of this operation underscores the substantial investment made by Irdeto in investigating and identifying the main suspect involved in this pirate network. The highly professional support from the Cybercrime Unit led to the apprehending of the main operators behind Waka TV,” MultiChoice explains in a press statement sent to Hypertext.
“The suspect, who is believed to have managed several pirate customers and resellers, was detained,” it added. The suspect has now appeared in court as of 3rd June and is facing charges of fraud and breaching several sections of the Cybercrime Act of 2020. Additional charges are being considered.
MultiChoice says that WakaTV was illegally distributing live TV channels through its platform, including several DStv channels, movies and series. The company and authorities are now turning their attention towards the “thousands of individuals” connected to the WakaTV pirate network.
“Resellers supporting the mentioned pirate operation are also under investigation. This collaborative effort aims to dismantle the entire network and bring all perpetrators to justice,” the company says.
“MultiChoice Group would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Cybercrime Unit and the Western Cape Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit for their outstanding support and professionalism throughout this operation. Their efforts have been crucial in achieving this significant breakthrough,” it concludes.
In March, MultiChoice reaffirmed its commitment to fight against digital piracy which is rife across Africa.
It said that five major African territories made 17.4 million visits to the top 10 identified piracy sites between June and August 2021 alone. Music, literature, video content, and software websites were the most popular.
[Image – WakaTV]
