Starlink may be finally getting a licence to operate in South Africa.
On Tuesday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to meet Musk to break the deadlock that’s kept Starlink, the satellite internet service company now operating in 21 African countries, out of South Africa. (Fun little detail: we wrote this blurb at 6PM WAT.)
Starlink has been unable to enter South Africa due to a regulation requiring foreign telecom operators to be at least 30% owned by blacks or historically disadvantaged groups. Musk, the CEO of Starlink, has pushed back, calling the rule exclusionary—and so far, Starlink hasn’t even applied for an operating licence.
This standoff has been brewing for over a year. There were talks between Musk and Ramaphosa multiple times in 2024, but no results followed. However, there was a complete fallout between the two in February 2025. US President Donald Trump had accused Ramaphosa over South Africa’s land reform policy, claiming it unfairly targets white South Africans.
Amid the fallout, Musk also posted on X that the country favoured blacks more than white, citing the Starlink delay. This added tension to the diplomatic relations between South Africa and the USA.
However, in what seems like a timely intervention, Ramaphosa will visit Trump in Washington to discuss foreign policies, which puts pressure on the South African president to fix the Starlink mess.
Will it finally bend its black ownership rule for Starlink? South Africa is only trying to hold on to a policy that has worked for it for over two decades. Regardless of what’s said in both meetings, it is likely that the country won’t completely grant Musk and Starlink a free pass.
South Africa could propose the “equity equivalent” model. Instead of handing over equity, Starlink would invest in social projects—like bringing free internet to rural schools or clinics. It’s not a new idea: in 2019, foreign car-makers like BMW and Toyota signed a similar deal to operate in the country.
Ramaphosa may be looking to cool tensions and boost internet access at the same time. Offering Starlink a tailored deal could ease diplomatic strains, expand rural connectivity, and avoid a public policy U-turn with Trump.
We will know the outcome of this meeting on Wednesday.
