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South Africa on Friday dismissed claims by billionaire Elon Musk that his Starlink satellite service is barred from operating in the country because he was not Black.
The country’s telecommunications regulator clarified that Starlink has not applied for a license.
Musk, who was born and raised in South Africa, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Starlink is not allowed to operate in South Africa, because I’m not black.”
Foreign affairs official Clayson Monyela swiftly responded, rejecting the claim. “Sir, that’s NOT true & you know it! It’s got nothing to do with your skin colour. Starlink is welcome to operate in South Africa provided there’s compliance with local laws,” he posted on X.
Musk appeared to be criticizing South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) rules, which require foreign-owned telecom companies to sell at least 30% of their local equity to historically disadvantaged groups.
Local technology news outlet TechCentral reported that Starlink’s parent company, SpaceX, had asked the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to reconsider the requirement.
However, ICASA confirmed it has not received an application from Starlink or SpaceX.
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi did not respond to requests for comment, but TechCentral reported that he had urged ICASA to explore alternatives such as skills development programs to meet equity requirements.
While Starlink operates in several African countries, it has faced regulatory hurdles in South Africa, Cameroon, and Namibia due to licensing disputes.
Musk, now a U.S. citizen and one of the world’s richest people, attended school in Pretoria before emigrating.
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