Alex Omenye
A week after confirming discussions between the South African government and Elon Musk’s SpaceX regarding a Starlink licence, President Cyril Ramaphosa met with Musk again at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Following the closed-door meeting, Ramaphosa described it as a “good meeting,” sparking hope for South Africans awaiting Starlink’s low-earth orbit internet service.
Despite Starlink launching in neighboring countries such as Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, it has yet to enter the South African market. In early September, after Starlink’s launch in Zimbabwe, Musk mentioned via X (formerly Twitter) that the service was awaiting approval from South Africa’s Independent Communications Authority. However, ICASA chairman Mothibi Ramusi later clarified that no formal application had been submitted.
Starlink’s licensing challenges in South Africa resemble its previous experiences in Zimbabwe and Botswana, where licensing processes were delayed for over a year due to strict regulatory requirements. In both cases, engagements with the respective presidents—Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe and Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana—helped expedite the process, leading to Starlink’s launch in those countries.
With ICASA holding firm on its regulatory demands, Musk may be hoping that his discussions with President Ramaphosa could smooth the way for Starlink’s entry into Africa’s most industrialized economy.
