02 Jun 2026

Piracy remains a complex, multifaceted issue that affects the entire satellite and cable broadcast industry across sub-Saharan Africa.

This was shared on Friday in Gaborone at an occasion where Multichoice Botswana hosted piracy awareness training for the Department of Broadcasting Services.

The move was one of the strategies to combat content piracy, strengthen the broadcasting ecosystem and promote respect to intellectual property rights in Botswana.

Giving a presentation on protecting content through anti-piracy, Multichoice Group Southern Africa Piracy Manager, Mr Edward Mnisi said piracy was not just a legal issue, but an economic concern that impacted government revenue and businesses.

He said the economic damage created by piracy extended beyond companies to governments due to lost tax revenue and to consumers through compromised safety.

Mr Mnisi said piracy affected the broadcasting industry, not just Multichoice but other television operators.

He said various forms of piracy were identified such as cable piracy, cross-border decoder piracy, reproductive piracy (antenna piracy), counterfeit equipment, illegal public screenings, grape market piracy as well as internet streaming piracy.

Mr Mnisi said predominant in Botswana was the cross-border decoder piracy, where decoders were particularly purchased in South Africa but used in neighbouring countries such as Botswana.

“The practice use of such devices where they are not type-approved by local regulators, hinders the growth of local operators, as revenue and jobs shift away from the countries where content rights are purchased,” he highlighted.

Furthermore, Mr Mnisi cautioned consumers that when they subscribe to a South African service, the money benefitted South Africa instead of Botswana, hindering growth and job creation in Botswana.

Although it is often argued that profits still return to the originating company, Mr Mnisi highlighted that the economic implications of piracy included loss of government tax revenue due to undermined legitimate subscription services.

He said another type of piracy which was a concern in Botswana was that of grape market; where individuals exploited decoder technology designed for use in South Africa to bypass regional broadcasting rights, particularly using OpenView decoders purchased in South Africa for use in Botswana.

Mr Mnisi said this created a detrimental cycle, hindering local economic growth in regions like Botswana because profits and subscriptions do not stay within the country.

Meanwhile, Deputy Permanent Secretary – Information, Broadcasting and Printing in the Ministry for State President, Defence and Security, Mr Tshireletso Motlogelwa said piracy was a major threat, destabilising producers, studios, and investors.

Therefore, Mr Motlogelwa called for systematic protection, saying developing the creative sector supported social stability by providing opportunities for youth, lowering unemployment, and reducing security risks.

Mr Motlogelwa said the future of Africa’s creative economy, was dependent on building robust systems to protect Intellectual Property (IP) rights, empowering independent creators, musicians, filmmakers, and small producers to benefit from their work.

Additionally, he emphasised a shift in diversification and sustainability saying moving away from single-source economies toward varied, organised and sustainable industries was necessary for generational wealth creation in Africa.

Speaking on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Mr Motlogelwa said technology presented both opportunities and threats to the creative industry.

He said African creators must engage AI strategically with protections, ensuring preservation and ownership of culture. ends