Elon Musk's Starlink to finally operate in South Africa?

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The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has condemned reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to offer regulatory assurances to Elon Musk’s Starlink ahead of his meeting with US President Donald Trump this week.

On Tuesday, 20 May, Bloomberg reported that Ramaphosa who is in the US is set to allow Musk’s satellite internet provider Starlink to launch in his [Musk] country of birth in order to ease tension and mend relations between Pretoria and Washington.

In March, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) confirmed that Starlink had not applied for an operating licence despite the tech-billionaire’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and “racism” rant suggesting it had hindered the process. BEE rules require foreign-owned telecommunications licensees to sell 30% of their local equity to historically disadvantaged groups.

WILL ELON MUSK’S STARLINK OPERATE IN SOUTH AFRICA?

Following the reports, the EFF said the move is not only unconstitutional, but it also exposes Ramaphosa as willing to compromise on the country’s sovereignty to massage the inflated ego of Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

The party said Ramaphosa has no executive authority to unilaterally guarantee access to South Africa’s telecommunications sector, let alone bypass necessary BEE laws. Any such commitments fall squarely within the legislative domain of Parliament, not Luthuli House or the President’s delegation.

“These powers are governed by national legislation and independent regulators, not the whims of one man desperate for foreign approval. The EFF is not surprised, however, as we noted this possibility when he embarked on this ill-advised trip, and we are concerned that this as part of a broader campaign by Ramaphosa to appease the Trump administration and white capital by potentially sacrificing key transformative laws like the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act, and the Expropriation Act. The EFF warns: we will resist any such betrayal of the people’s mandate, including through legal action and mass mobilisation,” the party said.

In response, Ramaphosa said South Africa is a sovereign country and a very proud nation and they will always do what’s best for South Africans.

‘NOT OPPOSED TO GLOBAL INNOVATION’

Some prominent South Africans including former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader and Ambassador Tony Leon have advocated for Starlink to launch in South Africa as it is already operating in many African countries and around the world.

The Red Berets said they are not opposed to technology or global innovation, but they will not allow unregulated, foreign-controlled infrastructure to operate outside South Africa’s democratic and legislative framework.

The party warned that Starlink represents a threat to local industry andnational security as it is owned by an individual who has peddled lies about a genocide in South Africa in an attempt to leverage preferential and unregulated access to the country’s market.

“One wonders why Elon Musk is so desperate to setup operations in a country involved in a genocide, as any genuine humanitarian would recognise genocide as a disincentive for investment.

“We will oppose this Starlink deal in Parliament, in the courts, and in the streets if necessary. Our sovereignty is not for sale to billionaires, nor can it be bought with handshakes in backrooms,” the party added.

Musk is one of the prominent and influential individuals in the Trump administration who have fuelled the myth of white genocide and “142 race laws”.