Starlink is available in many countries on the continent including Nigeria, Burundi, Botswana, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Benin, Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Eswatini but it remains illegal for South Africans to subscribe to the service.

Starlink needs to apply to Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) for an operating licence but current legislation appears to be the sticking point.

Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, may have the solution. He plans to amend a law mandating that global communication companies must have 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged groups to operate in the country. If the law is amended, companies like SpaceX's satellite internet service, Starlink, would be allowed to launch in the country. He recently said: “It is my intention to issue a policy direction to ICASA, in terms of section 3(2) of the Electronic Communications Act, to clarify the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies’ position on the recognition of equity equivalent programmes for urgent consideration. This is part of an initiative to significantly expand access to broadband connectivity to South Africans in the lower income group and people living in remote parts of the country.”

Section 3(2) of the Electronic Communications Act states that licence applicants need to include the percentage of equity ownership to be held by persons from historically disadvantaged groups, which must not be less than 30% or such other conditions or a higher percentage as may be prescribed.

Broadband access benefits South Africans

Malatsi believes broadband access makes it easier for people to start and grow businesses, seek employment, work remotely and market goods and services. "Giving millions of South Africans broadband access would therefore constitute one of the biggest empowerment programmes the South African government has ever undertaken," he said.

Recently, President Cyral Ramaphosa, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, met with Elon Musk. "Meeting Elon Musk was a clear intention of mine because I had spoken to him on the phone and, when I came to New York, I said I would like to meet him. It is a full process. Some people call it ‘bromance’. It's a whole process of rekindling his affection and connection with South Africa," the South African president said in the interview about his meeting with Musk.

In August 2024, ICASA also initiated a consultation process on a proposed new licensing framework for satellite services. If, eventually, Starlink is allowed to operate in South Africa, it will open broadband to many people in rural towns and villages and also be of great benefit to game lodges and farmers.