Good news about DStv and Showmax prices

Many DStv and Showmax subscribers will not experience any value-added tax (VAT) increases when the new tax rates kick in on 1 May 2025.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced the VAT increase during his 2025 Budget Speech in the National Assembly on Wednesday, 12 March 2025.

Godongwana unveiled two VAT increases. The first 0.5 percentage point increase will apply from 1 May 2025, and the second 0.5 percentage point increase will apply from 1 April 2026.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) explained that the standard VAT rate will change from 15% to 15.5% on 1 May 2025.

The second 0.5 percentage point increase will raise the VAT rate in South Africa to 16% from 1 April 2026.

Although the VAT increase is a contentious issue, with many political parties and economists opposing it, companies are forced to implement this change.

Many South African companies, including Vodacom, FNB, Discovery, and Rain, have warned their customers that the VAT increase on 1 May will increase their subscription rates.

MultiChoice has also informed its clients that the newly promulgated VAT increase will affect DStv prices.

From 1 May 2025, DStv Premium will cost R983 while Compact Plus will be adjusted to R662, Compact to R481, Family to R340, and Access to R151.

These changes reflect a 0.5% increase, in line with the value-added tax adjustment, rounded to the nearest rand.

Good news for other DStv and Showmax customers is that MultiChoice will absorb the VAT increase.

MultiChoice announced that DStv EasyView will remain at R30 and that there will be no VAT adjustments to contract customers, DStv Stream, Showmax, Add Movies, or Box Office rentals.

The company explained that the VAT change on 1 May 2025 forced it to adjust DStv subscription prices.

It explained that it is mindful of the impact of the 0.5% VAT increase on consumers, which is why it has absorbed this cost for many customers.

This means that only certain DStv products will increase with the new VAT percentage hike and that the Showmax prices will not change.

DStv and Showmax prices from 1 May 2025

The table below summarises the DStv and Showmax prices from 1 May 2025, when the new 15.5 VAT rate kicks in.