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 32 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 32 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
