South Africa faces backlash over plan to change law for Musk’s Starlink
- South Africa plans to change telecom laws to allow SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service to operate legally in the country in 2025.
- This is related to ongoing disputes regarding Starlink’s unauthorized activities in South Africa and the legal requirement under Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment legislation that mandates foreign telecom companies to allocate a minimum of 30% ownership to historically marginalized South African communities.
- Officials confiscated Starlink-related equipment from a Northern Cape company and demanded confirmation from SpaceX about illegal usage while lobbying continues to manage frequency interference affecting South Africa’s SKA radio telescopes.
- Icasa Chairperson Mothibi Ramusi stated, “We confiscated equipment which related to SpaceX,” highlighting illegal operations, while policy directives aim to enable Starlink’s compliance with local equity regulations.
- The legal and regulatory adjustments suggest South Africa is balancing enforcement with economic inclusion goals and could increase internet access via Starlink despite political and technological challenges.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Scientists want astronomy-linked conditions on Starlink's SA licence deal
Astronomers working with South Africa's Square Kilometre Array telescope are pushing authorities to ensure that any licensing agreement with Elon Musk's Starlink will protect their groundbreaking observations, a senior scientist says.
Inside the struggle for technological control in South Africa
In the dawn light of a South African savanna, a team of rangers huddle around a satellite dish aimed skyward. Their phones spring to life with a signal – an unthinkable result just months earlier in this remote, off-grid conservation zone. The source is Starlink, Elon Musk and SpaceX’s satellite internet service, offering encrypted, high-speed connectivity far from state-controlled networks. But in South Africa, this signal didn’t just connect –…
Starlink raises questions about necessity and relevance of BEE laws – The Mail & Guardian
The South African government may have said that black economic empowerment is not negotiable, but Starlink’s battle to enter the market has brought into play the influence of international trade. During a Q&A session in parliament last week President Cyril Ramaphosa said his administration is seeking to create an inclusive economy making broad-based clack economic empowerment (broad-based BEE) legislation critical. Ramaphosa was asked a barrage…
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