Elon Musk’s Starlink and the racially charged row over operating in South Africa

The problem between Starlink’s boss, Elon Musk and South Africa, which is the boss of the company’s country’s failure, comes from the black authority of the country and can be a factor behind the diplomatic action between the United States and the most industrialized countries in Africa.

For more than 220 million followers in social media platform X, MUSK said that his satellite Internet service provider said, “It cannot be operated simply in South Africa. Because I am not black“.

However, ICASA of South Africa, a regulatory agency in telecommunications and broadcasting sectors, told the BBC that StarLink has never submitted a license application.

Regarding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the company said that it could be operated in the country by “complying with local laws.”

To operate in South Africa, Starlink must obtain a network and service license, which requires 30% ownership of historically disadvantaged groups.

This is mainly a black population of South Africa, and has been closed in the economy in racist apartments.

The white minority rules ended in 1994 after Nelson Mandela and his African Parliament (ANC) in 1994.

Since then, ANC has made “black authority” the central pillar of economic policy to solve past racial injustice.

This included the adoption of legislation that require investors to provide 30% stake in South Africa business.

MUSK, who was born in South Africa in 1971 before moving to Canada in late 1971, appears to be the main obstacle to Starlink.

According to the local news site TechCentral, Starlink, written on ICASA, said that the Black Empowerment clause submitted to ICASA has excluded the “many” foreign satellite operators in the South African market.

But the Foreign Ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela filed this view in March.

MUSK’s Starlink has a potential alliance at the Secretary of Communication, Solly Malatsi, South Africa.

He came from the second largest party in South Africa, the Democratic Alliance (DA), and joined the coalition government after ANC did not obtain a large number of parliamentary elections last year.

DA insisted that it was a fierce critic of the current black authority, and that it caused cold stories and corruption with investors who were operated in South Africa or forced to win the main contract in conjunction with the ANC connection company.

In October, Malatsi suggested that he is looking for a way to bypass a 30%black stake requirement. He said, “I tried to publish” policy direction “to ICASA to clarify the position of the equal perception of the capital program.

In short, Malatsi seemed to suggest that Starlink would not need a black business partner in South Africa, but it should invest in social programs to benefit blacks, especially the poor.

About six months later, Malatsi did not change the policy, and his department spokesman told the BBC that the legal team was still investigating the problem.

Communications seems to be facing political resistance from ANC members of Congress.

KHUSELA DIKO, chairman of the Congress Communication Committee, is responsible for Malatsi, seems to be opposed to giving a special treatment to Musk’s Starlink by warning that the “transformation” in the technology sector cannot negotiate earlier this month.

“The law is clear about the regulations,” DIKO added. “Cut the corner and bypass is not a choice, it is not a choice to appease business profits.”

Diko’s hardship is not surprising because the relationship between the South African government and the US has hit the bottom of the rock during the second term of President Donald Tump.

Musk, a part of Trump’s internal circle, wrote X about calling South Africa’s “racism ownership law,” and the US president threatened to boycott the G20 summit at the end of this year.

“How can you go to South Africa for a very important G20 meeting when land confiscation and massacre are the main themes of dialogue? They take the land of white farmers and kill them and their families.” Trump talked about his social media platform sincerity..

His claim of massacre of white farmers is It was widely dissolved in liesBut they reverse the people of the billionaire.

Last month, Musk condemned South Africa’s “major” party. “Actively promoting white massacre”.

“A month ago, the South African government passed a law that brought property from white people without payment,” MUSK said.

“Where is your anger? Why is there no scope of legacy media?

The South African Republic passed the law so that the government could seize property without compensation earlier this year. Only in the case.

Nevertheless, MUSK connects this problem with the lack of license for starlink.

“Starlink is not simply black, so you can’t get a license that can be operated in South Africa.” He said again in March.

His hardline position comes even if he meets South African President in New York last year.

At the time, Musk described the meeting as “great” and said President Siril Lamaboa tried to persuade billionaire to invest in South Africa.

“It was my clear intention to meet Elon Musk. Some people call it Bromance, so it’s all about restarting the affection and relationship with South Africa.” RAMAPHOSA spoke to the broadcaster SABC in South Africa..

But he still added nothing “in bed.”

The president said, “When we are with potential investors, you must talk to them, you must talk to them and show that there is a beneficial environment where they can invest.

“He is born in South Africa and South Africa is his house, and I want to see you coming to South Africa for visit and travel.”

But MUSK seems to be closer to South Africa’s right wing, and “bromance” has long ended.

Resoto seems to have been under pressure from the Trump administration by announcing 10 years of license on STARLINK on Monday.

If Trump comes out after a 50%tariff on the income of Lesoto, thousands of jobs are threatened in this country.

Trump paused it for the next 90 days, but on April 5, 10%of tariffs came into effect.

According to some reports, the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) licensed the StarLink to liquidate regulatory obstacles to prevent the threat of additional tariff hiking.

But this was rejected by Lejone MPOTJOANE Foreign Minister.

“License application and tariff negotiations should not be confused,” he said.

The decision to grant the license was accused by the Civil Society Group Section 2, which caused concerns that Starlink Lesotho is 100% foreign and lacks local ownership. South Africa’s ground up news site reported.

Kananelo Boloetse, the coordinator of Section 2, was cited as “this behavior can only be described only by betrayal.”

Vodacom Lesotho also insisted that MUSK’s company should also establish local stocks before receiving the license. The space on the African website has been reported..

“These concerns emphasize the widespread tension over the operation of Starlink throughout Africa, especially the demand for local partnerships.”

Starlink also seems to be looking for exemptions in Namibia from the requirements of bringing local partners.

Namibia was a whole colony of Germany and was under the rule of the white minority regime in South Africa until it was independent in 1990.

It has more stringent requirements than a hurry -lertheate neighbor, and 51%of the companies operating in Namibia are locally.

Namibia’s Communication Regulatory Authority (CRAN) told the BBC that Starlink submitted a communication service license application in June 2024.

Cran said that the process was usually 3-6 months, but the decision has not been made yet because Namibia’s Minister of Information and Communication Technology has to wait for the application of ownership exemption.

Starlink, together with Somalia, is licensed two days ago, two days ago, with more than 20 Islamic rebellion in more than 20 African countries.

“We welcome Starlink’s access to Somalia in Mohammed Adam ALI,” said Mohammed Adam Ali.

Starlink aims to provide high -speed Internet services to remote or marginalized areas, and game changers for rural areas are potential game chainers that cannot be accessible to traditional forms such as mobile broadband and textiles.

This is because satellite networks are used on earth orbits with low starlink rather than relying on fiber optics or cables to transmit data. Because they are closer to the ground, the transmission speed is faster than traditional satellites.

Nigeria was the first African country in 2023, where Starlink could be operated, which grew into the second largest Internet service provider in Africa.

But starlink still does not exist in South Africa. It is the most industrialized country on the continent.

Intensive local residents have found a way to connect to the service using the local roaming package purchased in a country where you can use the service.

Starlink ended last year and ICASA also warned that people who illegally provided services to local companies could face heavy fines.

However, in the case of about 20%of South Africa’s 20%, which could not access the Internet in rural areas, it may be beneficial for Starlink and the government to reach compromise.

Starlink can prove a favorable market, but the satellite broadband can help the government achieve the goal of providing universal Internet access by 2030.

On Monday, Ramaphosa announced his decision to improve his relationship with the Trump administration by appointing former deputy director MCEBISI JONAS as a special envoy to the United States.

However, Jonas’s appointment faced a backlash in the right wing in the 2020 speech, as he called “racist homosexuality” and “self -love right.”

In an interview with Money show podcastJonas said it wasn’t the government, but commented on “people moving.”

He admitted that it was “a long slogue that rebuilt understanding,” but the relationship between South Africa and the United States is “fundamentally important.” And he decided to improve it.

Jonas’s opinion is not surprising because the United States is a major deal in South Africa. With Trump threatening 30%of tariffs on goods, Ramabosa can’t afford to worsen the relationship and the economy is knocking more.