Elon Musk has said Starlink is awaiting regulatory approval to launch its satellite internet service in South Africa. However, the country’s regulatory body says they have not yet received an application from Musk’s company.
Starlink remains absent from South Africa, despite recently launching in neighbouring countries such as Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. Responding to a farmer in South Africa who was complaining about slow rural internet speeds, Musk confirmed on X that SpaceX is “waiting for regulatory approval” before launching services in South Africa. That approval would come from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), South Africa’s telecommunications and broadcasting regulator.
However, just a few days before Musk’s statement on X, Mothibi Ramusi, the newly appointed ICASA chairperson, confirmed in a interview with ITWeb that the agency has not received a formal application from SpaceX or Starlink.
To provide services in South Africa, companies like Starlink need two types of licenses: the Electronic Communications Service (ECS) license and the Electronic Communications Network Service (ECNS) license. These licenses are critical for any provider offering satellite or internet services within the country.
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As we have previously reported, the application process also requires companies to comply with South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) regulations, which include a 30% local ownership requirement.
South Africa’s rural areas, where high-speed internet is scarce, would benefit greatly from Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network. With an internet speed that surpasses most urban and rural connections, Starlink has the potential to bridge the country’s digital divide. Healthcare providers, schools, farmers, and businesses in remote locations could greatly enhance their operations by gaining access to reliable high-speed internet.
Despite the ongoing delays, some South African businesses and households are already using Starlink’s roaming services. This has been going on despite Starlink being deemed “illegal” by ICASA. These users argue that the service is a game-changer in regions where traditional internet infrastructure is either absent or prohibitively expensive.
However, ICASA warns that until proper licensing is granted, such usage remains outside the bounds of South African law.
