Pretoria – Days after President Cyril Ramaphosa faced a public snub from former U.S. President Donald Trump, the South African government has announced draft changes to ICT legislation that could pave the way for Elon Musk’s Starlink to legally operate in the country. The move has reignited tensions over racial justice, economic sovereignty, and geopolitical interference.
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi on Friday gazetted a proposed amendment to ICT sector regulations. The changes would relax the 30% equity requirement for previously disadvantaged individuals (PDIs) in new ICT investments—an obligation that had effectively blocked the South African-born Musk’s satellite internet company from entering the local market.
Starlink’s Push and Musk’s Racial Controversies
Musk, the world’s richest man and CEO of SpaceX, has repeatedly lashed out at South African regulations, claiming he was being excluded from the local telecommunications sector because he is white. In a widely criticized post earlier this year, Musk accused the ANC government of “anti-white racism” and promoting “reverse apartheid,” echoing long-standing right-wing narratives used to undermine Black economic empowerment in post-apartheid South Africa.
Critics argue that Musk’s public statements are part of a broader disinformation campaign, particularly his amplification of the debunked “white genocide” myth—a claim that white farmers in South Africa are being systematically targeted and killed. This conspiracy theory, often promoted by far-right groups in the United States, has been condemned by South African civil society, researchers, and human rights groups as both inaccurate and inflammatory.
Musk’s remarks have drawn outrage not only for their racial insensitivity but also for their geopolitical implications. His social media megaphone has emboldened calls within U.S. conservative circles for sanctions against South Africa, accusing the government of violating white minority rights—a narrative that many in Pretoria view as a form of neocolonial interference.
Trump, Ramaphosa, and the White Genocide Myth
The timing of the Starlink announcement is politically charged. It comes just days after former U.S. President Donald Trump, now back in office following his re-election in January, publicly criticized President Ramaphosa for “failing to protect white farmers,” referencing the same false genocide claims Musk has propagated.
Trump’s administration previously flirted with the idea of sanctioning South Africa over land reform policies, and his renewed remarks have once again strained diplomatic relations between the two countries. Earlier this week, Ramaphosa was noticeably absent from a group of African leaders invited to a high-level investment summit hosted by Trump in Washington—a move widely interpreted as a political slight.
Insiders in the Department of International Relations say the South African government is walking a diplomatic tightrope: attempting to maintain relations with the United States while resisting external pressure that undermines the country’s sovereignty and transformation agenda.
BEE Policy Shift to Benefit Multinationals
The proposed amendments to the ICT regulations are framed as part of a broader investment drive. According to Malatsi, the changes would allow multinational companies to fulfill Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) requirements through “equity equivalent investment programmes” instead of direct ownership.
“Currently, the rules around who can acquire a license in the ICT sector require a minimum of 30% ownership in the hands of historically disadvantaged individuals. The equity equivalent programme allows multinationals to meet empowerment obligations through alternatives like investing in local suppliers, enterprise development, job creation, and skills development,” Malatsi said in a statement.
Opposition from the EFF
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have strongly rejected the policy shift and any deal involving Starlink, accusing Musk of racial provocation and economic imperialism.
“Starlink represents a threat to local industry and national security. It is owned by an individual who has peddled lies about a genocide in South Africa in an attempt to gain unregulated access to our market,” the EFF said in a fiery statement.
The party also questioned Musk’s motivations, stating: “One wonders why Elon Musk is so desperate to invest in a country he claims is committing genocide. A genuine humanitarian would see genocide as a reason not to invest.”
The EFF vowed to fight the deal “in Parliament, in the courts, and in the streets if necessary,” warning that South Africa’s sovereignty is “not for sale to billionaires.”
Starlink’s Quiet Lobbying Efforts
Despite public controversy, Starlink has been quietly lobbying behind the scenes for regulatory changes. Sources within the Department of Communications confirmed that high-level talks between government officials and Starlink representatives have been ongoing for months, intensified by growing demand for rural internet access.
South Africa remains one of the few major African economies yet to grant Starlink full operational rights, even as the service expands across the continent, including in Nigeria, Kenya, and Mozambique.
Conclusion
While the policy changes are being sold as a pragmatic move to unlock investment and expand internet access, critics warn that they may set a dangerous precedent—allowing foreign billionaires who undermine South African sovereignty and racial justice to do business on their own terms.
As the battle lines are drawn in Parliament and the courts, the Starlink saga is becoming more than just a telecoms story—it is now a lightning rod for race, power, and post-colonial sovereignty in South Africa’s fragile democracy.