SABC Plus has topped a million registered users
Image: Karen Sandison/IndependentNewspapers
The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s streaming platform, SABC Plus, continues to gain momentum, with the public broadcaster announcing it has reached one million registered users.
Revamped and relaunched in July last year, the platform was upgraded to include the SABC Plus website, mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Huawei devices, as well as TV apps for LG, Apple TV (tvOS), and various set-top boxes.
In a statement on Thursday, the SABC said the platform reached one million registered users, a milestone that underscores the growing demand for accessible, high-quality local content.
“The SABC is proud to announce that SABC Plus, its Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming platform, has reached an impressive one million registered users since its relaunch in July 2024," the broadcaster said.
"This significant milestone highlights the success of the SABC’s digital migration strategy and the increasing appetite for local, on-demand content.”
The SABC said the increase in registrations was largely driven by live sports broadcasts, which have consistently attracted over 60,000 new users per major game.
"The surge in registrations has been largely driven by live sports broadcasts, which have consistently attracted over 60,000 new users per major game," the SABC said.
"Additionally, the recent #SwitchToStream campaign has further accelerated the platform’s growth by educating audiences on the convenience and accessibility of SABC Plus across multiple devices."
Earlier this year, Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema criticised the streaming app, describing it as “frustrating and useless”.
"This SABC Plus is frustrating and useless. Perhaps it would be helpful if the SIU could look into who developed the App to address some of these concerns," Malema said at the time.
SABC Digital Marketing Manager Khanyisa Melwa said the response to live sports, lifestyle entertainment, and special events such as the METRO FM Music Awards had been strong.
“We are thrilled to see how quickly South Africans are embracing SABC Plus as a digital destination for the content they love,” Melwa said.
“The response to live sports, lifestyle entertainment, and special events like the METRO FM Music Awards has been phenomenal, reaffirming our commitment to delivering compelling, relevant content anytime, anywhere.”
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