Local DSTV Installations

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Holiday highlights on HGTV this December

Home and Garden Channel is spreading the festive cheer with two brand-new shows all about seaside living and making a clean start, just in time for the holidays.

Unspouse My House Breaking up is hard to do, and sometimes newly-single homeowners need more than just a new hairdo to get over a recent relationship. That’s where interior designer Orlando Soria’s brand-new show Unspouse My House steps in.

How Close Can I Beach? HGTV viewers love living vicariously through hopeful house hunters looking for that perfect house at a budget they can afford, and How Close Can I Beach offers exactly that. And for most people, nothing guarantees that idyllic sense of rest and relaxation that comes from seaside living. While getting that beachy vibe usually means an increase in price, this show helps potential buyers decide exactly what beach lifestyle is right for them – from 180-degree ocean views with the right number of bedrooms, to having the crashing waves within earshot, as well as garage space, buyers are shown three options that all have the potential to turn their coastal living dreams into reality.

How Close Can I Beach starts Friday 6 December at 19:50

How to watch DStv online Sign up for DStv Now, a free service for all DStv subscribers. With DStv Now the same channels you watch on your decoder at home are available for you to stream online, or using the DStv Now app on your phone.

Heavyweight bangers go to war again

The most explosive puncher in boxing will be showcased on SuperSport this weekend when Deontay Wilder defends his WBC heavyweight championship against dangerous Luis Ortiz in Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning (CAT).

SuperSport 1 and 8 will broadcast the action starting at 4am.

Wilder, with an astonishing 40 knockouts in 41 wins, will face a man who almost beat him 18 months ago. In their first fight, Ortiz rocked Wilder in the seventh, but the champion roared back to force a stoppage in typically dramatic fashion.

In the interim, Wilder burnished his reputation with a war against Tyson Fury and a blowout of Dominic Brezeale. Ortiz himself scored three solid wins, but more notable has been his trimming down and getting into the shape of his life for the rematch.

It’s a high-risk challenge for American Wilder, not least because his big-money rematch with Fury in February will likely implode in the event of him losing to Ortiz.

Even by heavyweight standards, Ortiz is a big man whose southpaw style and heavy hands make him a difficult proposition for any of the elite heavyweights.

Said Wilder: “Luis Ortiz is a smart fighter, he moves strategically in the ring, he’s a great counter-puncher as well. I like his style as a Cuban. Nobody in the top 10 wanted to fight Ortiz and they still don’t ‘til this day. But I’m giving him the opportunity and we about to do it again.”

Ortiz believes he will be facing a better fighter than the one he fought last March.

“When you watch videos online from Wilder, there are definitely things he does better now. But he still doesn’t have the experience of taking that from training into the fight. He’s got to have a plan B and C. If he doesn’t, it will be a mistake. I have a plan for everything. This fight is personal because I want to erase the loss and that thorn in my side.”

Sunday 24 November on SuperSport 1 and 5 at 4am

It’s MORE-vember on DStv!

With three new channels, two favourites staying in the family and five brand new shows, we’re giving you so much more opportunity to feel every moment.

The festive season is approaching fast and we’re preparing to enter a new decade. At DStv, that’s even more reason to bring our customers brand new explosive entertainment for the whole family.

From brand new channels and shows to contracts that will keep two of your favourites on your screens for years to come, we’re giving customers so much more entertainment to enjoy this festive season and beyond.

Here’s everything you can look forward to this November:

Three brand new channels MultiChoice recently announced the launch of three new channels to the DStv platform. CuriosityStream, CBS Justice and Euronews will be available from Thursday, 21 November 2019.

“We’re thrilled to announce the launch of these channels that will expand the line-up of new programming for our DStv customers to enjoy,” says Yolisa Phahle, CEO of General Entertainment at MultiChoice Group. “CuriosityStream will give our viewers informative entertainment that the family can enjoy together and it’s with great pride that we are able to launch CBS Justice, a new true crime channel which is part of the CBS AMC Networks EMEA portfolio of channels. We’re also delighted to expand our viewers’ choice of news and actuality programming with Euronews so they’re kept in touch with what’s happening around the world.”

CuriosityStream and CBS Justice will air for the first time in Africa on DStv channels 185 and 170 respectively, to ensure fans of factual entertainment and true crime stories enjoy their favourite programming on familiar channel destinations. Euronews, which is currently available to DStv customers in the rest of Africa, will now be available to Southern Africa on DStv channel 414.

HISTORY and LIFETIME channels remain on DStv In more exciting news, MultiChoice reached an agreement with A+E Networks Africa to extend the carriage contract for HISTORY and LIFETIME, which will continue to air on DStv alongside the three new channels.

This extension of the contract, which was set to expire at the end of October, will ensure that viewers continue to enjoy their favourite factual entertainment shows on HISTORY channel 186, alongside exciting entertainment series on LIFETIME channel 131.

Exciting new entertainment At DStv, we’re committed to ensuring our customers get fresh content, more often. That’s why we’re constantly reviewing our content to ensure it meets the dynamic interest of our millions of customers.

With this in mind, our teams have worked tirelessly to bring you exclusive entertainment so you can have more choice all in one place.

Here is a snapshot of some of the explosive brand-new entertainment coming to DStv this month:

1. Family Food Fight USA Celeb chefs Cat Cora, Ayesha Curry and Graham Elliot host this captivating cooking competition. Each episode sees families pit up against each other as they compete to serve up their best, authentic dishes.

Starts Sunday 24 November on M-Net (101) at 17:00.

2. Game Changers: Inside the Video Game Wars Game Changers: Inside the Video Game Wars is the untold story of the personal battles that gave rise to the $100 billion video game industry. Brought to life by Oscar-winning director Daniel Junge, this is a tale of brilliant innovations, colossal failures, and ego-driven rivalries akin to Jobs v. Gates.

Starts Sunday 24 November on The HISTORY Channel (186) at 20:15.

3. Stumptown Dex Parios is a sharp-witted army veteran with a complicated love life, gambling debt and a brother to take care of in Portland, Oregon. Based on the graphic novels of the same name.

Starts Tuesday 26 November on M-Net (101) at 20:00.

4. Emergence This character-driven thriller follows a police chief who takes in a young child she finds near the site of a mysterious accident who has no memory of what has happened.

Starts Tuesday 26 November on M-Net (101) at 21:00.

5. Backyard Envy A renovation series that follows New York City's top exterior design and landscaping firm, Manscapers, as they transform barren outdoor spaces into lush, jaw-dropping oases.

Starts Saturday 23 November on M-Net (101) at 08:30.

How to watch DStv online Sign up for DStv Now, a free service for all DStv subscribers. With DStv Now the same channels you watch on your decoder at home are available for you to stream online, or using the DStv Now app on your phone.

2019 Rugby World Cup Final breaks all-time streaming records in Africa

DStv Now served more than 500,000 unique users during match day.

In addition to the Springboks making history at the 2019 Rugby World Cup Finals this weekend, another revolution has been quietly underway. This year marks the point that live-streaming of sports went mainstream in Africa, breaking all-time online viewing records.

Much like the Springboks’ Rugby World Cup campaign, sport live-streaming had a somewhat rocky road to the final. But when things really counted, streaming delivered a record-breaking performance.

In the opening game, as South Africa faltered against New Zealand, DStv Now had its own challenges with some viewers missing out during the first half of the game. Fast-forward to the Final six weeks later and the situation was dramatically different, with viewing breaking all-time records for concurrent users and throughput, and this was all achieved with no downtime or outages.

Speaking about this, Niclas Ekdahl, CEO of the Connected Video division of MultiChoice said:

“Live events are the single biggest challenge a streaming service like DStv Now can face, as the huge number of concurrent users not only puts our systems under unprecedented load, it also strains the systems of the companies downstream from our servers who deliver the stream to customers. It’s fair to assume that the load during the Final was the largest ever seen in Africa, with three times more peak concurrent viewers than in the first game and double the number who watched the 2018 football World Cup Finals. Over the course of the day, we served more than half a million unique users.”

The number of active DStv Now users is four times higher than just two years ago, and there’s no sign of growth slowing. The number of hours streamed in a single day on the service now regularly tops one million, which is more than 100 years’ worth of viewing for a single person.

Talking about what the company changed to see the turnaround in DStv Now performance between the first and last games of the Rugby World Cup, Ekdahl said:

“We were disappointed at the problems we experienced early in the tournament. We’d of course done load testing and provisioned plenty of capacity, but we didn’t anticipate how congestion in one specific system could cascade into others. I’m proud of the work our engineering team has done to learn from that mistake, to rework systems architecture, and also work with partners who deliver the stream to customers to sort out bottlenecks affecting image quality. Our customers rightly expect systems to work, and in the face of record-breaking demand during the Final, DStv Now delivered the goods.”

The data carried by content delivery network partners during the Final peaked at more than 500 Gbps (more than 4,000 GB of data per minute), another record for DStv Now in Africa.

“This was a major test of our systems and the capacity of distribution networks and ISPs in the region. I’m pleased we came out on top and look forward to working with our partners to beef up streaming ability ready for 10 times and even 100 times the traffic we’re seeing now because the one thing we know for sure is that streaming video is going to keep growing,” concluded Ekdahl.

How to download with DStv Now

A step-by-step guide on how to download movies, series and sports highlights to your device using DStv Now.

Who can use DStv Now? DStv Now is available to anyone with a DStv subscription. Using the DStv Now app, customers are able to watch the same Live channels and shows on Catch Up as they do via their decoders - the app makes it possible to also watch DStv on their smartphones, tablets, laptops and smart TVs.

Why download movies and series with DStv Now? It’s expensive to use mobile data to watch live sports or series on a smartphone or tablet. To get more bang for their buck, subscribers are able to download the DStv content they'd like to watch offline on their phone or tablet later using the DStv Now app. Better yet, connect to Wi-Fi before downloading instead of using mobile data.

(Note: downloading to a laptop is not available.)

How to download DStv shows to your phone or tablet If you haven’t already, go online and register for DStv Now. Next: download the DStv Now app to your smartphone or tablet. It’s available for Android or Apple devices. Open the app on your device, log in and go to Menu > Catch Up.

Select the movies or series you’d like to download and tap the cloud-shaped Download icon.

When you download, choose between four download quality options: Highest, High, Medium and Low. You will be shown how much data and storage space you need, based on the option you choose. (If the icon has a cross through it, it means that show can’t be downloaded.)

You can download up to 25 items to your device. This includes movies, sports highlights, documentaries, kids shows and episodes of your favourite series.

To see what you’ve downloaded, go back to Menu > Downloads. You’ll also be able to see which downloads are still in progress.

Check the expiry date of the item you are downloading. Some movies or episodes expire sooner, while others remain on the DStv Now playlist for quite some time. Once you hit ‘play’ you need to watch that movie or episode within 48 hours.

Get DStv Now »

Tips for downloading to your DStv Now app Make space on your phone or tablet by deleting old or duplicate photos, clearing old WhatsApp chats and uninstalling apps you haven’t used in a long time.

Choose ‘Low’ when you download movies or episodes from DStv Now to your phone or tablet, that way it takes up less space on your device.

12 classic African movies so good, they’re supernatural

Myths and legends. Stories passed on from generation to generation. The Mzansi Bioskop movie festival will keep you glued to your screens.

Imagine all the legendary stories you grew up listening to and how you couldn’t wait to hear what would happen next. These captivating movies draw their inspiration from myths and legends told from generation to generation.

12 original and locally produced movies will be in your living room to keep you company this November, so tune into Mzansi Bioskop (164) every Sunday at 19:00. This supernatural-themed festival begins on 3 November and airs every Sunday until 19 January 2020.

Here’s the line-up:

1. Selemotho, 3 November A brother turns his brother into a beastly creature so he can get to rule over his father's kingdom. Only pure love can remove the unsightly spell over him.

2. Dana’s Deathday Party, 10 November Dana has never had a birthday party, she is extremely excited when her parents decide to throw one for her eighteenth birthday. But on the day, she’s fatally hit by a truck. After Dana’s burial, her parents sell their house because it carries painful memories. The new owners, a young couple, are thrilled to move into the house, but their excitement soon turns into a nightmare when bizarre events begin to happen in their house.

3. iWashi, 17 November A notorious township criminal decides to steal a wristwatch, little does he know that the wristwatch he has stolen will haunt him until it's returned to its rightful owner.

4. Senthebaleng, 24 November Senthebaleng has a crush on Lemohang but Lemohang only wants one thing. After being together Lemogang kicks her out and Senthebaleng gets run over by a car. She comes back to haunt Lemohang.

5. Umlingo, 1 December A magic wand becomes a boy's best friend. He uses it to reach academic success and outshine his rivals. In the end good prevails when the boy’s magic wand exposes him.

6. Emlanjeni, 8 December Lihle lives with her parents who struggle to make ends meet and as a result, she cannot go to varsity. She is envious of Amahle who’s background is better than hers. Amahle is rich, not only that, but she is also royalty. When Lihle goes to the river where she frequents, she is astonished when she meets a river creature who promises that she can grant Lihle any wish she desires, all she has to do is lift the curse from her so that she can be free. Lihle wants Amahle’s life and thus makes a pact with the river creature.

7. Indandatho Yokukhanya, 15 December When a timid and overly cautious girl finds out that her parent’s spirits were taken by the dark one her mission becomes to save them and others before they are all turned into evil spirits for eternity.

8. Mamodibe, 22 December A good samaritan decides to assist a stranded woman. What ensues is a mysterious adventure that forces them to confront past traumas and future dangers.

9. Otla iTshola, 29 December Kabelo leaves Mpotseng after they lose their baby. Kabelo then starts dating a nurse, which doesn’t sit well with Mpotseng. Mpotseng and her mother come up with a plan which makes Kabelo never have inner peace in any romantic relationship he finds.

10. Sephiri High, 5 January 2020 One day tired of being bullied during lunch, Rorisang finds refuge in an abandoned classroom only to discover that it’s already occupied by Thabo. Unaware that he’s a ghost, Rorisang starts talking to him. Thabo is surprised and happy that someone can see him.

11. Thula Thula, 12 January 2020 A group of friends are on a road trip while passing a small town they realise they’ve run out of petrol. They stop at a petrol station but there’s no one in sight. They look around and realise that they haven’t seen a single person since they’ve arrived.

12. Mafele aga Thabo, 19 January 2020 A young man’s wealth lies in the survival of cockroaches in his house and their death leads to the collapse of all his tender deals.

The movie festival starts on 3 November.

Watch these classic African movies every Sunday on Mzansi Bioskop (164) at 19:00. #MzansiBioskopFest

Read more about the Mzansi Bioskop movie festival on the Mzansi Magic website.

How to watch these movies online Sign up for DStv Now. It’s no extra cost for DStv subscribers! With DStv Now the same channels you watch on your decoder at home are available for you to stream online, or using the DStv Now app on your phone.

Ayanda brings her A-game on Celebrity Game Night

The businesswoman, model, actor and presenter say South Africans are in for real light-hearted fun on Celebrity Game Night.

She wears many hats, but presenting is her first love. We talk to Ayanda Thabethe about what it’s like to work alongside Jason Goliath and Anele Mododa on Celebrity Game Night.

What’s the highlight of being one of the team captains on Celebrity Game Night?

This will sound cliché but everything about the show was totally fun; the personalities we featured, the challenges and just the entire atmosphere of the production. Jason and I are quite competitive but in a very loving way. I kid you not when I say that everyone (including the celebs we had) interacted with such a positive attitude and it was all fun and games.

Jason mentioned that you’re the one who’s likely to cheat. What do you have to say about that?

Listen, he calls it cheating but all I’m saying is that a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. At first, I was worried because Jason was really crushing me, and then I was like “C’mon Ayanda you need to represent and do it for the girls now!” In short, I will do whatever it takes to win! [Laughs apologetically]

Of all the celebrity guests appearing on the show, who would you love to be stuck in an elevator with?

Hmm, let me think… Oh, that’s a hard one because everyone we had was interesting at some level or another and such fun. If I had to pick one, let’s say Candice Modiselle. She is such a ball of fun and energy, she’s loud and I think I’d have a jolly good time being stuck with her.

What would you do if you woke up as Jason Goliath?

I would go to every space possible and tell jokes to everyone I meet because I don’t think I’m that funny at all. So, to wake up and do comedy for a living, bringing joy to people’s lives like that is something I’d cherish.

And aside from Jason, who was the last comedian to make you laugh out loud?

My favourite comedian in the country is Mpho Popps. He was one of the celebrities we had on the show and I was literally laughing the whole time he was there; I think he made me lose focus a bit.

Why do you think South African audiences will love Celebrity Game Night, and what do you, as Ayanda, bring to the show?

This is such a light-hearted show, it’s simply about fun and seeing your favourite celebrities become themselves without the facade of showbiz. South Africans will love Anele Mdoda for her fun and loud personality, Jason is a natural-born entertainer and for me, people will see Ayanda in her true element. I think I’m known as a somewhat serious presenter, but on Celebrity Game Night, I let it all down and become that feisty competitive girl.

You’re a businesswoman, a model, an actor and presenter, out of all these, what’s your first love?

It’s definitely presenting. I’m so privileged to wake up and do what I love. When I’m presenting, it comes so naturally to me that it doesn’t feel like I’m working, that’s how much I love it. With that said, all the different spaces I occupy contribute to my presenting craft, and I like exploring and developing myself, but presenting is where I’m at home and at ease.

Was there anything that went ridiculously wrong on the show?

It was a well-oiled machine for real. Behind the screen and on camera, everything was beautifully planned, and everyone just played along so well. Nothing felt forced. We didn’t step on each other’s toes, and yes, in the beginning, we were trying to find our feet because we weren’t sure of the format of the games. But once we got into the groove of things, it was plain sailing, full steam ahead.

If you were stuck on a desert island with Anele and Jason, who would you eat first?

Hahahaha, oh my gosh you want to make me a killer… oh no! Let’s just say I’d try to get out alive, all three of us out alive in one piece, and not in pieces.

You have such a good sense of style, so for the show, what was your style philosophy?

That c-word, comfort! Comfort had to come first because the games are so active. My number one priority was comfort and not being limited in any way. The adrenaline was high, the competition won’t wait for your 9-inch heels to catch up, so as much as I love to doll myself up, I had to go for the good, old classic comfortable way.

And since you’re such a wanderlust, what’s your favourite place in the world right now?

I just recently came back from Italy, and I fell in love with a place called Lake Como. It’s earthy, it’s scenic, it’s like opulence is in the air there. That is, by far, my favourite place in the world.

Celebrity Game Night SA S1 starts on Monday 28 October on E! Entertainment (124) at 20:00

31 Nights of Frights on M-Net Movies Action+

There are poltergeists, demons, vengeful spirits, monstrous fights and beings with ferocious appetites in the Shocktober Festival.

If you haven’t spotted the spine-chilling line-up on M-Net Movies Action+ this month already, then check out the Shocktober Festival, curated specially for horror movie enthusiasts. The channel is running a full month of non-stop horror and pulsating thrillers filled with nail-biting, fever-pitched fear, guaranteed to keep viewers at the edge of their seats.

Every night in the spooky month of October, you can catch the most horrifying films on M-Net Movies Action +. There are poltergeists, demons, vengeful spirits, monstrous fights and beings with ferocious appetites.

In the thirty-one nights building of blockbuster bites up to Halloween, you will have to survive The Grudge, The Congouring, Within, A Quiet Place, Mother!, Annabelle, Hereditary, I Am Legend, IT, The First Purge, The Boy, Intruders, Unsane, The Forgotten and many, many more thrilling films.

But, it’s not all about the cheap thrills. Hollywoods A-listers will help you get ready for Halloween in style, with the likes of superstar Will Smith, Oscar winners Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, Golden Globe winner Toni Collette, Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt, Emmy winner Guy Pearce, and the amazing John Krasinski and Katie Holmes.

Understanding video quality when streaming

Why does streaming video resolution sometimes go bad (and why don’t we fix it)?

It’s really frustrating when streaming video goes fuzzy and pixelated, or sometimes stops playing altogether. Why does this happen, and why does it seem worse at peak times?

Starting with the basics, streaming video is delivered over the internet. Every few seconds, our streaming apps test the speed of the viewer’s internet connection and based on that we send higher or lower resolution video packets. Put simply, a slow connection generally means lower video quality and a faster connection supports higher video quality. If the speed is really slow, the video will stop altogether (the dreaded buffering spinning wheel).

My video quality was fine, but as soon as the big game started it fell apart - so the problem is clearly with your service, right?

We plan ahead for big games and make sure we’ve got enough capacity, so no that isn’t likely to be the cause. The simplest explanation for video quality falling during high demand times is congestion downstream from our servers, and there could be a number of factors causing that. An example of how congestion affects someone connecting via mobile is that lots of people are accessing the same mobile base station at the same time (e.g. as the game starts) and because the base station has limited capacity, the quality of the mobile connection drops.

That’s rubbish! YouTube is fine but DStv Now looks terrible, so clearly the problem is with your service.

Great point! The key here is supplying pre-recorded content is different from supplying live content. In the case of YouTube or Showmax or Netflix, shows can be stored (the technical term is ‘cached’) close to the customer. In the case of live content, we’re taking the stream from Japan and distributing it in South Africa without the same ability to pre-load it as close as possible to the customer, so any bottlenecks downstream from our servers can have an impact on video quality. The other obvious difference is with YouTube or Showmax or Netflix, people aren’t all watching exactly the same thing at the same time - which presents a whole bunch of technical challenges.

So are you saying you can’t or won’t fix it?

Live streaming with huge numbers of concurrent users is a technical challenge that video services worldwide are grappling with - if it were as simple as just increasing capacity we’d most definitely have done that long ago. But we’re not backing down - we’re working with content distribution networks and others, and we are making headway.

What should I do?

To test if the issue is related to your ISP, one approach is to temporarily switch to mobile data (or to a fixed connection if you’re currently on mobile) and see if there is a change in quality. Obviously the other connection may also be congested but certainly if the quality improves you’ll have an indication that it may be worth speaking to the ISP or changing to another ISP.

How to watch DStv during load-shedding

#ShedHappens! Eskom has stage 2 power cuts. Plan now so that you're not left without the latest episodes of your favourite soapie tonight.

#ShedHappens! Eskom has just announced it's implementing Stage 2 power cuts. To prepare: South Africans are refilling their gas bottles, checking that their flashlights have batteries, and downloading episodes of their favourite series.

That's right, DStv customers who have the DStv Now app installed on their phones or tablets are still able to watch DStv during load-shedding.

While the power’s on and there’s still Wi-Fi, open the DStv Now app and download movies, kids shows and even sports highlights to watch when #ShedHappens.

(And remember to charge those devices!)

What is DStv Now? It’s the online version of DStv. DStv customers are able to watch the same content on DStv Now that comes with their DStv package. The difference is that instead of watching via their decoder, they're streaming it online or using an app.

How to download and watch with DStv Now Make sure you’re registered for DStv Now. Download the DStv Now app (Apple or Android) Log in, and search for a series or movie to download. Tap the cloud-shaped icon. Select the quality of video file being downloaded (Highest, High, Medium or Low). Tip: the lower the quality selected, the smaller the file size and the less storage space it takes up on the device. Once the selection is made, the download will begin. Happy watching! Important: After clicking ‘play’, watch the content within 48 hours, before it expires and it has to be downloaded again. If you don’t click ‘play’ right away, the content stays on the device for 30 days before it expires.

Even if load-shedding does catch SA by surprise, DStv subscribers can check Catch Up on their decoders on go online to now.dstv.co.za for missed episodes of shows they're following.

What to watch when #ShedHappens The latest movies on DStv Now include Mission Impossible: Fallout, Bumblebee and Descendants 3.

You can also watch the latest episodes of The Queen, The River, Isibaya, Binnelanders and more.

Discovery Channel open to more DStv customers in October

The Discovery Channel (121) will be open to Compact+ and Compact customers from 11 October to 18 November 2019.

Fans of shows like Street Outlaws will be delighted to know that for the next month, the Discovery Channel will be open to even more DStv customers.

Usually only available to DStv customers on the Premium package, from 11 October to 18 November 2019 channel 121 will be open to all active DStv Compact+ and Compact customers.

Enjoy popular content such as Gold Rush, Deadliest Catch, Alaska: The Last Frontier, Salvage Hunters, How It’s Made and the Alex Gibney and Steven Spielberg six-part series, Why We Hate.

Don’t miss out!

Sign up for DStv or if you are already a DStv customer, go to Self-Service and upgrade to DStv Premium, Compact+ or Compact. Tune into Discovery Channel (DStv 121) from Friday 11 October 2019 for access to the best in real-life entertainment and thrilling adventures until Monday 18 November.

Lejoy’s in the house

Shaking her long blonde locks with attitude, the gorgeous new Real Housewife of Johannesburg, Lethabo ‘Lejoy’ Mathatho makes it clear that she will not be limited in any way, shape or form.

Getting to know new housewife Lejoy She’s an actress, a radio presenter, a producer, a motivational speaker, and someone who believes in giving back to her community. Now, Lejoy is the newest Real Housewife.

What made you want to appear on the show?

For me, it was really to inspire young men and women from where I was born (Limpopo) to simply say: “dream it and you can achieve it”. I want them to see where I came from, and walk with me through the challenges of life, and see how much of a dreamer and hard worker I am and how I am living my dream. That should be courage for them to say “it is possible”. My life is a movie, what better way to show it than on a reality show?

What’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever done?

I haven’t done it yet, but I believe it will be my engagement.

Are you a cat person or a dog person?

Why are you limiting me, mara? Why only dogs and cats? Let’s take it up a level, give me options like “are you a rabbit or flamingo person?”

What’s your worst fear?

My worst fear is not delivering my full purpose. I am pregnant with so much talent and dreams and I want the labour ward for each one of them. I want all of my dreams to be real, to be seen and touched.

Do you see the episodes when we watch it on tv or do the housewives have a preview of everything prior to being aired?

I wish I could have a seat in the editors room, so I can say: “Not that ... please remove that ... oh damn that sounds good!” - just like I do with my talk show and other programmes I produce. But unfortunately, with Housewives I have to wait like all South Africans and watch episode by episode on Fridays.

What’s been your favourite and worst thing about being on the show?

My favourite is getting to see myself grow from strength to strength and getting to know how to stand up and protect myself. It’s also getting to know that I am good enough, regardless of who is in the room. Just owning my worth.

What overseas housewife do you identify with the most?

With so many different Housewives from all over the world, it’s difficult to pick and choose because I learn a lot from different individuals really. Each one has weaknesses and strengths that I can relate to as a human being, but I would like to dine with Nene and Kenya from Real Housewives of Atlanta.

What trait do you most like/dislike in yourself?

I love the fact that I am a fighter. I don’t give in or give up when it comes to what I believe in. Once I set my mind to something, I see it to the end regardless of the ups and downs.

I dislike nothing – I have learned to love me with my flaws and embrace my imperfections!

If you had one do-over in your life, what would it be?

I wouldn’t change a thing. I am this strong woman because of my journey. I am this fearful because of the rights and the wrongs I have done. I am this bold because of the valleys I had to go through. All that has happened in my journey were the roots of this beautiful tree you see today called Lejoy.

What do you value most in a friend?

What is a friend? Let’s start there (laughs). I have lost friends that I loved so deeply, the ones I truly thought would be in my life forever, to a point where I started to ask myself what is a friend? But to answer your question — I value loyalty, communication and forgiveness.

What song are you playing on repeat right now?

Damn, why song and not song(s)? I am changing the rules, and giving you my top 5, we can call it The JOY 5... 🙈🤣🤣

Tshego ft King Monada - No ties

SiR ft Masego - Ooh Nah Nah

Goosebumps by Travis Scott

Kirk Franklin - Now behold the Lamb

Dr Tumi - My Rest

What makes you smile?

Apart from money? Mmmhhh … let me think. I love good stories, and seeing someone smile makes me smile. When I started the Lejoy Foundation it was because of the big smiles in my heart after helping someone and, of course, those translate to my face. Today, with social media, we see people helping each another to do better like paying school fees. We see young people getting jobs, we see businesses getting plugged to grow. That’s what makes me smile, the spirit of Ubuntu. Oh, let’s not forget flowers too, lilies and proteas make me smile.

Who was your favourite Housewife from the first season?

I closely observed the dynamic of each cast member and they all brought a different personality. Let’s just say I laughed, I cried, I got shocked, I was amazed and I jumped off my seat watching the first season.

What misconceptions do people have about the show that you want to address/correct?

That you have to be married first to be on the show – I am living proof that this is not the case.

How did the filming schedule impact your day-to-day life? Did your kids/husband enjoy it?

Not much because I was just living my life and they were filming it. This question reminds me of my quote: “it’s only when I have the microphone in my hands and camera on my face, that I become my true self”.

The Real Housewives of Johannesburg S2 starts on Friday 18 October on 1Magic (103) at 19:00

Stay in bed and watch the Housewives with DStv Now. DStv Now is the online version of DStv and it’s no extra cost to all DStv subscribers. Visit now.dstv.com and watch DStv on your laptop, tablet or phone. Just remember to keep an eye on your data.

Does your latest bill from DStv have you scratching your head?

You spoke and we listened! And then we looked at how we could change your billing and simplify your account so that you only need to make one payment each month.

These changes let you spend more time enjoying your favourite shows – because it just got easier to manage your account! You now also have the flexibility of being able to add services (like a BoxOffice movie rental) or upgrade your package during the month, and only pay for them on your next payment date.

So WHY did you get billed for a different amount this month? Following the changes, there was a once-off adjustment to bring all your services together and align the payment dates. The different amount this month also caters for the updates to Price Lock – previously, the hardware portion of your Price Lock instalment was billed in arrears, now it is billed in advance (bringing it in line with how your subscription is billed each month). We’d like to assure you that this change will have no impact on the overall cost or duration of your Price Lock contract – which remains at the price you signed up for.

From next month, your single monthly payment will cover all your services. The amount may vary slightly month to month based on the number of BoxOffice movies rented, any additional services you added to your account or even any amounts due based on you upgrading your package.

Remember, it’s easy to check your account as well as the amount to pay at any time using our self service on WhatsApp (060 060 3788) or via our mobile app, or on our website.

Got any queries? Our teams are happy to help. You can drop us an email at [email protected]

Read on for some more helpful information about the billing changes.

Why did MultiChoice change its billing?

The launch of additional services over the years has created complexity in our billing, making it more difficult for customers to understand their billing. There were different payment dates for different services, which led to inconsistent information on how much to pay (because of the different dates) and a need to pay multiple times a month.

Our customers spoke and we listened! Now we’ve consolidated all services on a customer’s account – resulting in easier billing – only one amount to pay and only one payment required each month. Customers now also have the flexibility of being able to add services (like BoxOffice rentals) or upgrade their package during the month, and only pay for those changes on their next payment date.

How can Price Lock suddenly charge people in advance?

The mix of advanced billing (for subscription) and arrears billing (for hardware) created a number of customer complaints and queries, resulting in confusion around the bill. Aligning both ensures an easy to understand bill . We’d like to assure you that this change will have no impact on the overall cost of your Price Lock contract – which remains at the price you signed up for.

Why were some charges in advance and some in arrears in the first place?

Price Lock billing was initially built to cater for the decoder being delivered prior to the selected package being activated, however this resulted in more complex billing. We’ve since made changes to improve how our customers experience Price Lock billing – making it easier to understand.

Why did MultiChoice not inform Price Lock customers of these changes?

Although we did an announcement at the time we updated our billing system, we did not communicate directly with our Price Lock customers about how this would impact them. We could have done a better job of that – and are making sure we do that with each customer now.

Which customers are impacted?

The improvements made to billing is for all our residential customers. The once-off adjustment only impacted customers on a Price Lock contract which includes hardware.

Have any customers been incorrectly billed for Price Lock this month?

A small number of Price Lock customers on the R899 contract were billed the incorrect price for their Price Lock contract this month. We know who these customers are and are rectifying these accounts right now. A credit will show on the customer’s account – confirming the correction. This happened despite rigorous testing on moving those accounts from the old billing model to the new one. Some Price Lock customers have also paid more than their normal amount this month - there was a once-off adjustment to bring all their services together and align the payment dates. The different amount this month also caters for the updates to Price Lock – previously, the hardware portion of the Price Lock instalment was billed in arrears, now it is billed in advance (bringing it in line with how subscription is billed each month).

10 things to know about Descendants 3

The hottest secrets from the thrilling trequel! Here’s what fans can expect from this magical musical Disney movie!

1. THE GANG’S BACK TOGETHER AGAIN! “It was awesome to be back on set for Descendants 3,” reveals Booboo Stewart, who plays Jay. “Not only was the cast back together again, but a lot of the dancers from the previous two films were back. It was really, really cool to see everyone. Before we started shooting, we had tons of dance rehearsals with our new choreographer, Jamal Sims. Jamal is incredible. He’s also part of the cast, because he plays Dr. Facilier in Descendants 3. It’s great to have him on board.”

2. THE MOVIE IS MAGICAL! “There’s a lot more magic in Descendants 3,” admits Dove Cameron, who plays Mal. “I would describe Descendants 3 as being the most magical of all three films by far, and I think everyone will be very happy with it. All of this magic means there are loads of special effects in the movie. There’s a lot of green screen and a lot of visual effects. It’s going to be a feast for your eyes!”

3. THERE ARE SOME COOL NEW CHARACTERS! Keep your eyes open for tons of Easter eggs in Descendants 3. “I love the way we reflect back to the first movie in the third movie,” explains Cameron Boyce, who plays Carlos. “In the first movie, we came to Auradon. In the third movie, we bring new kids to Auradon. The new kids are called Celia, Squeaky and Squirmy – and they go through all the same emotions that we went through in the first movie. I think it’s great that there are lots of these different callbacks to the other movies in Descendants 3.”

4. THERE ARE NEW VILLAINS IN THE STORY, TOO! “I love the new baddies in the movie,” admits Booboo Stewart. “The baddies are really cool and I think they are going to surprise people. It’s awesome because you also get to see where the baddies live, which means you get to see more of the Isle Of The Lost in Descendants 3. You get to see lots of parts of the Isle that you haven’t seen before!

5. PREPARE FOR A GIGGLE-FEST! “Descendants 3 is really, really funny,” chuckles Cameron Boyce. “You are definitely going to laugh out loud when you see the movie. Carlos and Jay have a lot more comedy in the third film than they did in the first two, which is fun. Even when a scene isn’t supposed to be comedic, we manage to find something funny to do – and it works.”

6. THE SETS ARE EPIC! “The new sets are really awesome,” admits Booboo Stewart. “Not only do you get to see more of the Isle Of The Lost, but you also get to see more of Auradon in Descendants 3. Way, way more! I really enjoyed seeing more of this world. When the sets were being built, we got to see little models and photos of what everything was going to look like. When the sets were finished, it was incredible to see them for real. I love the fact that we return to some of the places that we visited in the past, including Auradon Prep. In a way, going back to that castle was almost like going home. It brought back so many great memories. It’s beautiful.”

7. EXPECT TONS OF DANCING! “There are lots of incredible dance numbers in Descendants 3,” reveals Brenna D’Amico, who plays Jane. “The choreography was the most challenging of all three movies by far. Thankfully, I was surrounded by great choreographers and dancers who were able help me learn the moves. Everyone is going to be dancing along at home. My little cousins dance along to every single Descendants movie and I know they’re going to be dancing even more this time. Especially with the song at the end of the movie. That’s my favourite!”

8. THE CAST ATTENDED A MONTH-LONG BOOT CAMP! “We had a four-week boot camp before we started shooting the movie,” admits Cameron Boyce. “We had tons of dance rehearsals, as well as sword fighting lessons. The swords in Descendants 2 were very skinny. They are much bigger and heavier in Descendants 3, which was tough at times. There’s a dance number where we are fighting and dancing at the same time, so there was a lot of multi-tasking.”

9. THE MUSIC WILL BLOW YOU AWAY! “The music in Descendants 3 is fantastic,” enthuses Booboo Stewart. “The soundtrack is going to be seriously amazing! The songs are really catchy and they are going to make everyone want to dance along. There’s a little rock in the music and there’s also a little pop. There’s even a little hip-hop and some cool electric feels, too. There’s something for everyone!”

10. THERE WAS A LOT OF LAUGHTER ON THE SET! “Thomas Doherty and Jedidiah Goodacre are definitely the biggest jokers in the cast,” chuckles Cameron Boyce. “Jedidiah would always make us laugh. He is the craziest person you’ll ever meet! One day, he showed up wearing a pink crop top. He’s a crazy man who constantly brings a smile to your face. Dove pranked me really well on set. She walked into my trailer wearing lots of prosthetics and scared me! It was really funny.”

And one extra! The cast members are best of friends! “We had a great time filming Descendants 3 in Vancouver,” explains Cameron Boyce. “When you’re in a different city with people you’ve known for years, it’s always going to be fun. We would hang out together all the time. We would go and get Thai food and ice cream. Or we’d go to the movies. One night, we went to buy loads of snacks from a shop over the street from our hotel. Dove and Sofia were still in their robes from work! We so much food and returned to Dove’s room to eat it all. Our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomachs that night, but it was really fun. We’d do fun stuff like that all the time.”

And one last extra thing: DUDE IS BACK! “Everyone keeps asking me if there’s going to be a talking dog in Descendants 3,” ponders Cameron Boyce. “I can confirm that Dude is back and he will be talking. He’s a lot of the comedic relief in the movie! I don’t think the movie would be the same without Dude.” Woof!

Watch Descendants 3 on Friday 11 October on Disney Channel (303) at 17:25

Meet Motsi Mabuse

The South African dancer is making waves in the UK reality contest.

She is sassy, glamorous, knows the ins and outs of the industry and boy can she dance!

Motsi Mabuse is the new judge on BBC Lifestyle’s Strictly Come Dancing UK, replacing Darcey Bussell, the outgoing judge who starred in the hit dance competition for seven years.

Motsi (38) who grew up in Mabopane, just outside Pretoria, says she is absolutely ‘overjoyed’ to be joining the Strictly judging panel. “She is just beautiful on the inside as well as the outside”, says fellow judge Shirley Ballas, who used to judge Motsi when she was a competitive dancer.

The mother-of-one almost became a lawyer. She studied law at the University of Pretoria but when the dance bug bit, she decided to take her Latin dancing professionally. Motsi made the SA dance world take notice when she became a runner-up in the national championships. This led her to the British Open Championships where she met her first husband and dance partner Timo Kulczak.

Motsi’s life took her to Germany, where she danced professionally on the German version of Strictly, called Let’s Dance and in 2011 she became a judge on that show. And that’s not the only TV competition she’s judged - she’s worked on the German version of Stepping Out and Curvy Supermodel too.

Back home she runs a dance school with her now husband, dancer Evgenij Voznyuk. Last year they welcomed a baby girl into the world. Motsi says Evgenij will stay in Germany and watch their daughter while she films the show.

On judging her sister Oti, who has been a professional dancer on the show since Season 13, Motsi says there’ll be no preferential treatment: "I'm going to judge her like any other dancer."

When it comes to her judging technique Motsi is looking for an emotional response. “We all want to see and feel what they are feeling when they are dancing and if it doesn’t come through to me then the mission is not achieved.”

Watch the talented judge and dancer work her magic as she scores this season’s celebrities in Strictly Come Dancing UK.

Watch Strictly Come Dancing S17 on Sundays on BBC Brit (120) at 19:00

The claws are always out in the Kardashians clan

The sisterly saga of tears, tantrums and trash talking is once again making headlines, as we relive some of the best fights in KUWTK history.

No one understands you like your sister does. She’s also someone who knows exactly which buttons to push to turn you into a shrieking harpy. And having practically grown up in front of a captive audience on their long-running reality series, the KarJenner sisters’ every insult, grudge and ugly-cry is captured on camera and broadcast worldwide. Not that this has stopped them from conducting all-out feuds and shouting matches. We take a look at the best of the worst clashes so far on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Kim labels Kourtney a “fake humanitarian hoe” This most recent sisterly squabble to grab the headlines sees Kim allude to her new career as a lawyer helping out those less fortunate than her. Apparently, the shrewd Kourt finds this new professional direction about as believable as the rest of the world does, and the insult was dealt by Kim after also accusing Kourt of copying her trademark style and being an “ungrateful b*tch”.

Kim and Kourtney hash it out over a scheduled photoshoot The elder Kardashians were at each other’s throats two years ago when Kim attempted to draw the family’s schedules together for their family Christmas photoshoot. Kourt was about as flexible as a stone, prompting Kim to lash out and snarl, “No one wants you in the shoot. Get out of here and go.” And just to have the last word, she added insult to injury with her final words: “(Kourtney)’s the least exciting to look at, so she can be out.” Ouch!

The infamous Bentley fight While waiting for Kim to collect her flashy Bentley at a car dealer, Khloé and Kourtney rubbed her up the wrong way when they became impatient with the long wait and tackled the dealer himself about the delay. Things escalated pretty quickly from there, with Kim accusing Khloé of being rude, jealous and wanting to ruin her moment, and Khloé swearing she would never look at Kim the same way again. Kim called momager Kris in tears, declaring she hates her sisters, and later joined them back at brother Rob’s flat swinging her Chanel purse at everyone in anger.

Kylie and Kendall’s clash Back in 2015, model Kendall wanted to borrow Kylie’s favourite brown dress to change into after the ESPY Awards show, but Kylie was not having any of it and refused. The usually calm Kendall raged that Kylie was “the biggest b*itch” and upon leaving addressed Kylie’s dogs, calling Kylie an extremely rude word. There’s no filter on these sisters!

Khloé confronts Kylie for ditching her family Back when Kylie was still dating rapper Tyga, Khloé, Kourtney and Kendall surprised her by showing up at her Galore cover shoot party during New York Fashion Week. When Tyga suggested the two of them leave the party, her older sisters were visibly upset and swore at him.

Keep up with all the drama every Sunday on E! (124) at 20:00 Also available on Catch Up and DStv Now

Missed an episode? Sign up for DStv Now – it’s an online streaming service for all DStv subscribers. Watch the channels you watch on your decoder at home, but on the Internet! Go to now.dstv.com on your laptop and Catch Up on the episodes you missed.