In a futile attempt to solicit rage and position himself as a victim of racial discrimination, South Africa-born white settler Elon Musk falsely claimed in a 7 March X post that his satellite internet service Starlink is not allowed to operate in South Africa due to his skin colour.
On 31 March 2021, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) released the country’s ‘Regulations in respect of the Limitations of Control and Equity Ownership by Historically Disadvantaged Groups and the Application of the ICT Sector Code.’ Among the mandates issued was that Historically Disadvantaged Groups (HDGs) own at least 30 per cent of foreign-owned information and telecommunications companies’ South African subsidiaries. HDGs include Black South Africans, women, youth and individuals with disabilities.
These regulations are part of South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act introduced in 2003 to increase the participation of Black people in the country’s economy to redress decades of economic disenfranchisement via apartheid-era laws, whose legacy lingers to this day. However, Starlink, through its parent company SpaceX, has not complied with these regulations. Moreover, according to South Africa’s telecommunications authorities, Starlink has not applied for a licence.
In response to Musk’s misleading claims, South African Head of Public Diplomacy Clayson Monyela clarified that this was not an issue of skin colour or race, adding, ‘Starlink is welcome to operate in South Africa, provided there’s compliance with local laws.’ The regulations apply to foreign-owned telecommunications companies wishing to do business in South Africa. As Monyela asserted, ‘this is a global international trade & investment principle’ and ‘there are over 600 USA companies investing & operating in [the country] … all complying & thriving!’
It seems the multibillionaire thinks South Africa should bend the rules that many other foreign businesspeople abide by while spreading disinformation about South Africa to his over 200 million followers on X.
Sources