President Cyril Ramaphosa Sparks Backlash Over Reported Starlink Deal With Elon Musk Ahead of Trump Meeting
South Africans have taken to social media to express outrage following reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to offer Elon Musk a deal allowing his satellite internet company, Starlink, to operate in the country.
The deal would reportedly circumvent South Africa’s strict Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) requirements
According to a Bloomberg, Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration is preparing a special licensing offer that would allow Elon Musk’s Starlink to bypass the standard 30% black ownership requirement for foreign telecommunications firms.
High-Stakes Meeting Before Trump Talks
The reported deal is expected to be tabled during a last-minute meeting between Musk (or his representatives) and a South African delegation currently accompanying President Ramaphosa in the United States.
The meeting comes ahead of Cyril Ramaphosa’s scheduled talks with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, as part of efforts to mend fractured diplomatic ties between South Africa and the United States.
Vincent Magwenya, Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, confirmed to Reuters that the issue of Starlink’s licensing would be addressed during the trip.
Elon Musk’s Criticism of BEE Requirements
Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, has previously claimed that Starlink was blocked from entering the South African market because he is not black—a statement that sparked debate.
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) pushed back in March, stating that Starlink had never actually applied for a license.
Musk’s comments were widely seen as a criticism of South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment policy, which mandates that 30% of ownership in foreign telecom ventures be held by historically disadvantaged groups.