Strive Masiyiwa takes Kwese TV to Swaziland

October 11, 2017
| Report Focus News

ECONET group founder Strive Masiyiwa has set his eyes on Swaziland after applying for a licence to provide satellite television services in the country.

Kwese TV, managed under the subsidiary Econet Media, is also available in African countries, including Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Nigeria and South Africa.

Masiyiwa recently posted on Facebook Kwese TV would soon expand to Malawi, Uganda and Swaziland and hopes to provide an affordable alternative to Multichoice Swaziland which has been enjoying brisk business in many African countries.

Swaziland Communication Commission (SCCOM) general manager Lindiwe Dlamini recently confirmed that Kwese TV had submitted application.

“Kwese TV did express the desire to operate in the country,” she said.

“However, the commission has not undertaken any licensing of new broadcasters in the sector pending the promulgation of the Broadcasting Bill into a law.”

Kwese Media is fast threatening MultiChoice’s effective monopoly in Africa through the South Africa-based company’s DSTV offering.

Swaziland has only two television stations, forcing many Swazis to be on MultiChoice where they can enjoy a bigger variety of channels.

DSTV bouquets have prices have been slashed in some countries including Zimbabwe following the launch of Kwese TV as MultiChoice tries to retain subscribers.

The Kwese TV decoder comes with a free five channel bouquet as Masiyiwa insists subscribers need to always have access to television services once they have purchased the decoder even when they fail to pay a subscription.