Several businesses are offering Rugby World Cup (RWC) streaming services at bargain-basement prices, but DStv has warned that if you’re not watching on its platform, you’re breaking the law.
Frikkie Jonker, the man charged by MultiChoice with combating the theft of its product in Sub-Saharan Africa, said streaming bandits are being actively pursued.
“If you are using another platform, you are opening yourself up to the consequences. As soon as we hear of piracy sites, we close them down.”
In a last-minute deal this week, the SABC secured the rights to broadcast 16 of the 48 RWC matches. It will not stream any of them. Those who want full coverage of all matches need to subscribe to DStv Premium, which costs about R800 a month.
But social media is teeming with companies offering dubious cut-price alternatives.
One is WakaTV.net, which advertises its product on Facebook community pages.
The Sunday Times called to find out more after an ad was posted on the Krugersdorp Facebook page.
“I am in PE, but we have a representative in your area,” said a man who introduced himself as Dawie.
Asked how the system worked, Dawie said: “Through Waka you get access to Sky Sports, SuperSport and many, many other channels. You will get a 15-day trial to decide before you continue. Should you want to continue, it will cost R90 a month.”
What do you need to break the law?
“You buy an Android box and hook it up to your TV. Then you download our app and you are in.”
Dawie said the box costs “between R500 and R900”.
Asked about the legality of the operation, he said: “Let me put it this way, if you like your country and you like rules, don’t use this app.”
When Dawie was told he was speaking to the Sunday Times, he insisted: “I do like my country and I do like rules. This is just something that crossed my path. I don’t have a boss and we have no management hierarchy.”
He said he had bought access. “From whom and how much I paid I can’t tell you. I have already said too much. No further comment.”
LiveTVNow’s Sean Ras told the Sunday Times his product worked in much the same way.
“With our service you can watch the game on your phone or on your TV. The best way is through an Android box. Our service will cost you R160 a month and you have three apps to choose from,” he said.
“Our package gives you access to the entire DStv bouquet and thousands of other channels. In the bigger picture, DStv and SuperSport is a tiny part of what we offer.”
When told he was speaking to the Sunday Times, he became belligerent. “I am nothing more than an unofficial reseller. I have no more comment.”
On the South African website of IPTV, a company seemingly based in Britain, three packages are on offer: R190 a month, R490 for six months or R990 for 12 months.
Thousands of sports and entertainment channels from across the world are shown to be available through the site.
IPTV did not respond to questions.
Jonker said streaming links had been shared on a Facebook community page.
“We will ask Facebook to remove the links and we might even ask them to shut the community page down. If you allow piracy links to be shared on your page, you are an accessory to a crime and cannot complain if you lose your platform.”
He said MultiChoice had zero tolerance for illegal users and piracy merchants. “While users might not end up with criminal records, our operations will inconvenience them. But with the merchants, we push for prosecution to the full extent of the law.
“Some of these downloads compromise user data stored on the machine and/or the user's browsing privacy. It can also read and change all user data on websites that the user visited, as well as the browsing history.”
Jonker added that there were two main types of internet piracy of sports.
“The IPTV pirate business model is hardware sale plus subscription. Web-based is advertising driven.
“As broadband internet becomes more pervasive, the unauthorised streaming or downloading of content is increasing. The content is often hacked or captured from a legitimate broadcaster and rebroadcast downstream via broadband to anywhere in the world.
“We make use of campaigns to make the public aware of the problem. Civil lawsuits, criminal prosecutions and ongoing tech upgrades are a few of the tools we use.”
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