Starlink facing backlash in South Africa
January 14, 2026
South African–born Elon Musk has worked hard over the past few months in attempts to gain permission to launch SpaceX’s Starlink broadband–by–satellite service in South Africa. But far from nearing those permissions, there are signs that he still has a mountain to climb.
Local reports say that political party Rise Mzansi’s leader, Songezo Zibi, and parliament’s communications and& digital technologies portfolio chair, Khuselo Diko, have both taken to social media to voice their opposition to Musk and Starlink.
In December communications minister Solly Malatsi issued a policy directive to regulator Icasa urging it to align its ownership regulations with the ICT black economic empowerment sector code. This includes recognition of equity–equivalent investment programmes, which are already lawful under the Broad–Based Black Economic Empowerment Act and administered by the department of trade, industry & competition.
Zibi, who is also the chair of parliament’s standing committee on public accounts, said in a video post that South Africa would be “stupid” to give the green light to Starlink to enter the market.
According to local reports, Zibi says that through his actions, Musk has declared himself an “an enemy of South Africa’s constitutional order” and of social justice and redress.
“[Musk] cannot want to invest in South Africa and claim himself to be similar to other investors who want to invest […] and because money is involved, we must then accept whatever kind of person who wants to invest here,” Zibi argued