MultiChoice, the parent company of satellite television giant DStv, has officially terminated its relationship with the popular but controversial podcast, Podcast and Chill with MacG. The decision follows widespread public outrage and condemnation after host MacGyver “MacG” Mukwevho made deeply derogatory comments about media personality Minnie Dlamini.
The axing of the show from DStv platforms, including Moja Love (Channel 157), was confirmed via a Sunday Times article published on May 25, 2025. This ends what was a brief and controversial partnership between a traditional broadcaster and the fiercely independent digital podcast.
The uproar began after an episode aired last week in which MacG and co-hosts Sol Phenduka, Ghost Lady, and Mashabela discussed Dlamini’s personal life. During the conversation, MacG crudely questioned why Dlamini “cannot keep men” and made offensive remarks about her private parts, suggesting they “smell unpleasant.”
These comments sparked national backlash, with many social media users calling for cancellation. Moja Love was among the first to condemn MacG’s remarks, issuing a strong statement on April 28:
“MacG’s persistent use of derogatory language towards women, reducing them to vulgar slurs and objectifying their bodies is not just offensive; it is a damaging reinforcement of gender-based disrespect… We urge audiences and broadcasters alike to reject sexist vitriol and demand better. Respect isn’t a privilege, it’s a right.”
Moja Love emphasised its commitment to fostering a respectful and inclusive media space, adding:
“To MacG and others who use their platforms carelessly: accountability is not optional.”
Minnie Dlamini breaks silence
On May 13, Dlamini issued a powerful statement addressing the humiliation and gender-based attacks she endured:
“I have watched in disbelief and deep pain as my name, body, and dignity were dragged through the mud… This is not about ego. This is about systemic misogyny.”
She confirmed receiving an apology via lawyers, but dismissed it as insincere:
“An apology, offered only after the damage is done and reputations are on the line, is not a meaningful act of accountability… This was not a lapse in judgment. It was a reflection of values consistently displayed and defended by the show and its host.”
MultiChoice’s past response
MultiChoice spokesperson Suzaan Keyter previously stated on May 1 that while Moja Love is a third-party channel, all content aired on DStv undergoes internal review. Although the controversial episode had not aired on a MultiChoice-owned channel, the fallout ultimately prompted the company to act.
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, also commented:
“DStv has a responsibility to ensure that those associated with its brand uphold the values of free media, respect, and dignity… Freedom of speech should not be used to harm other people’s rights.”
Dan Corder weighs in
Speaking to DJ Sbu on The Hustlers Corner (see pull episode), broadcaster Dan Corder said DStv’s move came too late:
“This MacG deal should have happened 3 or 4 years ago… But they were not going to be able to put Podcast and Chill on a Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) regulated platform. The kind of jokes they make—we all know that both MacG and Sol have struggled with the BCCSA in the past. They’ve lost work because of what they said on traditional broadcasters.”
Corder suggested that the plan was likely to license unique, toned-down TV content that differed from their edgier YouTube offering:
“They’re going to create purpose-driven, unique-for-TV material that only lives there… because MultiChoice is not going to put something on TV that you can also watch on YouTube. I suspect MacG, Sol and the rest didn’t want to give their entire Podcast and Chill brand to MultiChoice.”
Corder compared this model to his own arrangement with eNCA for The Dan Corder Show:
“I’m an external service provider. I get paid and given a budget to provide them my show.”
A clash of cultures
This incident marks a flashpoint in the collision between traditional broadcasters and the raw, unfiltered digital content that has reshaped South African media. While Podcast and Chill, a subsidiary of the Podcast and Chill Network, remains one of the most streamed podcasts in the country, it has repeatedly courted controversy—from transphobic slurs that led to Old Mutual dropping MacG to lawsuits from female celebrities like Amanda du Pont.
Despite Sol Phenduka’s continued mainstream rise, this latest controversy may prove a turning point in how broadcasters evaluate influencer-led content in the regulated space.
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