From 20 October, Media24’s Afrikaans lifestyle channel VIA (DStv channel 147) will join forces with video-on-demand subscription service ShowMax. No less than nine of the channel’s most popular shows will be available on ShowMax Diaspora to South Africans who live overseas and eight will be available on the local platform. Which means there will now be even more local content available for ShowMax users on any device – proof that local has never been this lekker!

Izelle Venter, channel head of VIA, says, “VIA and ShowMax are the perfect partners. Both are young, fresh platforms that are entertaining audiences in a new way. We believe ShowMax is a place where people who love a proudly South African lifestyle will find us. VIA is one of Afrikaans DStv viewers’ favourite lifestyle channels. It is, therefore, only fitting that we become part of this platform on the eve of our first birthday.”

The eight VIA programmes that will appear on ShowMax are centred around food, style and relationships. Viewers can look forward to Vrydag 4 uur (seasons 1 to 3), an unconventional travel show featuring the cute young couple Alti Fouche and Dirk Smit. On the wedding show Pasgetroud (seasons 1 and 2) we see if couples’ wedding-day dreams can come true. On the cool food-truck show Padkos (seasons 1 and 2), presenter Leroux Botha cooks his midlife crisis away.

There are also two talk shows for viewers: On Driekuns (season 1), three famous people who have made a name for themselves share stories about their lives and careers. On ’n Halfuur met Hanlie (seasons 1 to 3), South Africans of note have an intimate conversation with RAPPORT’s celebrated journalist Hanlie Retief.

VIA’s popular dating show, Die kliek (season 1 to 3), will have viewers in stiches as comedian Schalk Bezuidenhout helps a group of women find love with the help of social media. On Op pad met Dana (season 1) the writer Dana Snyman travels across South Africa in search of stories of hope. And on the hit show Brood en botter (season 1), super chef Bertus Basson leads the search for new culinary talent. For ShowMax users who live overseas, VIA’s most popular show, Kom ons braai, will be included in the package. On this show three couples try to impress each other with their braai skills in a bid to be crowned king of the coals.

“We are excited to make VIA available to our ShowMax subscribers worldwide. The channel’s shows are contributing some of the freshest local content to the platform,” Jeanne van Zyl, ShowMax’s head of diaspora, says.

In South Africa ShowMax costs R99 per month and $8.99USD for South Africans overseas. You can now watch your favourite programmes on any computer, smartphone, tablet and Samsung and LG smart TVs.

Click here to watch the promo video.

Or click here to visit the ShowMax website now.

VIA, channel 147 on DStv, is aimed at Afrikaans families and focuses on food, style and relationships, with three hours of content every weekday between 17:30 and 19:00 and again between 20:00 and 21:00.