The SABC is stepping up its digital strategy with SABC Plus, introducing artificial intelligence (AI), gamification and expanding zero-rated content across the streaming platform.
This is in an effort to make public broadcasting more accessible, engaging and inclusive, it says.
Dr Vuyo Nyembezi, acting groupexecutive: technology at SABC, delivered a presentation last week at the 2026 Microsoft AI Tour Johannesburg, detailing the broadcaster’s plans.
Nyembezi explained SABC Plus ispositioning itself as a standalone digital services aggregator anchored in accessibility and inclusion of content.
The move aligns with its mandate to deliver educational, informative and entertaining content to all South Africans, including those who face data and connectivity challenges, he noted.
In a bid to reduce barriers to access, SABC Plus is expanding its zero-rated content to allow viewers to stream selected shows without incurring data costs.
This initiative targets low-income households and rural communities, helping close the digital divide, while promoting South African storytelling and local talent, it notes.
“We are moving from being a traditional broadcaster to building a platform that can stand on its own. SABC Plus is holding engagements with a partner to enable wider zero-rated access to content, building on its earlier collaboration with Vodacom to zero-rate AFCON matches. How people access the platform should be the main thing. We are looking at zero-rating more content in future.”
Last week, SABC Plus announced a partnership with Microsoft, to make digital skills training freely available to millions of South Africans through the platform.
According to Nyembezi, additional services and educational content will be added in the near future.
“SABC Plus is more than a streaming platform. It is a gateway to opportunities and meaningful national connectivity − where users can access content, training and digital services they can relate to.”
SA’s video-on-demand streaming market continues to heat up, with players such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, HBOMax, Hong Kong-based Viu and well-established local player Showmax jostling for a slice of the market.
To keep pace with the move from linear TV to streaming, the public broadcaster introduced its own flagship platform in November 2022. It features the three free-to-air channels (SABC 1, SABC 2 and SABC 3), the SABC sports channel, the station’s 24-hour news channel, as well as its 19 radio stations.
A report by Digital TV Research states the African over-the-top (OTT) market is set for explosive growth over the coming years, with revenue increasing by well over $1 billion from 2020.
The continent’s collective OTT revenue was at $392 million at the end of 2020, indicating there is significant room for growth in the coming years, says the report.
‘Super aggregator’
SABC Plus, which was overhauled and relaunched in July 2024, has already gained traction, recently surpassing 1.9 million registered users, and is nearing two million viewers just two years after its revamp, Nyembezi noted.
The 2024 relaunch introduced a redesigned user interface, mandatory re-registration, new applications across multiple devices, and a more robust catch-up service. The SABC also expanded its catalogue by adding classic local content from the 1980s and 1990s, while maintaining a hybrid model of free and premium content.
According to Nyembezi, the broadcaster is strengthening SABC Plus in anticipation of sustained growth, with projections of reaching three million users within the next year and four million viewers by the end of 2027.
The platform currently operates with 99% availability – a key requirement as it scales nationally.
As part of its expansion approach, SABC Plus is being positioned as a “super aggregator”, allowing third-party content providers and community producers to bring their content onto the platform.
Nyembezi pointed out that SABC Plus now hosts content from other broadcasters, including competitors such as DStv, in line with its broader public service purpose.
The platform’s new features will be rolled out in phases over 2026, with the next major platform enhancement being gamification, which Nyembezi described as a “game-changer”.
Gamification elements − such as interactive quizzes, games, rewards and leader boards − will be added to the platform by the end of February, to encourage engagement with educational and cultural content.
The strategy is designed to make learning and entertainment more participatory, particularly for younger audiences who are increasingly consuming content on mobile devices, Nyembezi explained.
“There will be lots of interaction and engagement with viewers via gamification, and then we will reward them.
“Users will be able to redeem rewards such as SABC merchandise available on the platform. The digital erademands that public broadcasting is not just available, but accessible andrelevant to every South African. By combining AI, gamification and zero-rated content, SABC Plus is becoming a platform that informs, educates and entertains, while ensuring no viewer is left behind due to cost or connectivity challenges.”
During the course of the year, the platform will be interfaced with AI to drive recommendations, smart notifications and personalisation, helping viewers discover shows, news and learning resources tailored to their interests, making the platform more intuitive and user-friendly, he noted.
In addition, the SABC recently partnered with Blind SA to introduce voice-command functionality, allowing visually-impaired users to navigate the video streaming app using spoken instructions.
According to Nyembezi, SABC Plus also aims to enable navigation in multiple South African languages, ensuring users across age groups and cultures − including elderly audiences in rural areas − can access the platform in their mother tongue.
“We are serving the people of South Africa,” Nyembezi added. “We also want to look at other sectors of the community, including people with disabilities. Language support is another priority. Grannies shouldn’t have to wait until their grandchildren come back from school in order to help them with navigating the app; it should be in their preferred language.”
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