
Comms Minister Malatsi sticks to policy directive allowing multinationals to improve SA's infrastructure
Malatsi again defended his policy directive, which allows multinationals to contribute to the economy through infrastructure development and other means, instead of ceding 30% ownership.
On Tuesday, he told the Cape Town Press Club that the new regulations aren't intended to give Elon Musk's company, Starlink, a free pass.
He further added that the new regulations are not akin to ministerial overreach.
ALSO READ:
Malatsi says his policy directive is not a scheme to give Starlink a backdoor into South Africa or circumvent the country's transformation laws.
He says the directive is one of a range of interventions to grow the sector and transform it through other initiatives and involves other companies besides Starlink.
"Whether it is Spacex, Starlink, Amazon's Project Kuiper, or Eutelsat OneWeb . Any other entrant offering alternative connectivity models, our objective remains the same."
Malatsi says the regulations will consider all the written comments and public submissions before the process closes later this month.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Eyewitness News
33 minutes ago
- Eyewitness News
Steenhuisen: It's been tough to talk shop with US amid demands for concessions on a trade deal
JOHANNESBURG - Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said it's been tough to talk shop with the US amid demands for concessions on a trade deal that he claims has been negotiated outside of economic parameters. Steenhusien joined Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau at a joint media briefing in Tshwane on Tuesday after a revised offer was drafted for Washington's nod. Last week, South African trade officials failed to secure an agreement with the US administration before the implementation of punitive tariffs. ALSO READ: Tau confirms revised trade offer made to US Imports from South Africa into the US now carry a 30% duty. The Trump administration previously called for sa to relax import regulations on America's pork in exchange for them maintaining duty-free citrus from the country. But this sparked fears that SA's pig farms would be at risk of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome - a devastating and hard-to-contain disease. Regulations for poultry imports from the us - previously banned over a bird flu outbreak - have also been relaxed under the conditional self-ban and self-lifting system. "This will ensure that the us is able to leverage the tariff rate quota of 72,000 tons already agreed in 2016," said Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau. With the US already set to ship containers of poultry and pork to South Africa in two weeks' time from Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina and Alabama, SA said bio-security protocols are in place. While the technical aspects are still being negotiated, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen had this to say about the process. 'It's obviously difficult negotiating when the issues you're negotiating are not only about trade and tariffs, and I think that's why we've had this particular situation.' The US administration previously demanded bee exemptions for us companies, including Elon Musk's Starlink, and sought to sway some of the country's foreign policy and domestic race laws demands SA maintains it won't concede to.


The South African
7 hours ago
- The South African
Elon Musk's Starlink struggles in key African market amid fight to enter SA
Elon Musk's Starlink was supposed to be a game-changer for internet access, with promises of being life-changing to those living in remote areas of the world. Many people across Africa were hopeful that it could help them overcome connectivity challenges presented by the limitations of terrestrial infrastructure. However, following its roll-out in Kenya – one of Africa's most dynamic digital economies – the initial excitement has waned. The East African nation's communication authority reported that Starlink lost % of its subscribers in Q1 of 2025. Instead, these users are opting to revert to their local internet service providers (ISPs) as they find them to be better value for money. Starlink's Kenyan failure can serve as a cautionary tale to South African consumers. While many who live in rural areas (along with owners of safari lodges) see Musk's technology as a beacon of hope. But the challenges presented by the reality of the country's complex regulatory maze show a different reality. Starlink's dwindling subscription numbers in Kenya are not difficult to understand. The provider is far more expensive than local ISPs, often has low speeds (despite promising high ones), and subscribers are frequently left disconnected. Although it is unknown if South Africans will ever get to experience both the benefits and downfalls of Starlink. Musk has tried unsuccessfully to get Starlink into South Africa. The biggest roadblock facing the ISP has been adherence to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)'s requirement that a minimum of 30% of Starlink's ownership must be held by black South Africans. As a way of getting around this obstacle, some South Africans are importing Starlink kits and using expensive global roaming subscriptions to gain access to the technology. This grey market showcases the eagerness of consumers to get Starlink and how it would be even more popular if it had an official, affordable rollout. While Kenya has proven itself to be a tough market for Starlink, South Africa could present even more challenges. The country boasts an ever-expanding fibre network hosted by multiple providers in a highly competitive environment. It is highly likely that for Starlink to be truly successful in South Africa, Musk will need to think further than providing connectivity to remote areas. The ISP will need to compete with its peers in terms of both reliability and price in areas where fibre currently reigns supreme. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.


The South African
3 days ago
- The South African
Did Elon Musk snub handshake to Ramaphosa?
A clip of Elon Musk seemingly snubbing a handshake from President Cyril Ramaphosa has gone viral. But is it all it seems for the Pretoria-born billionaire who has accused the South African government of promoting 'openly racist laws'? On the X app, a short clip of President Cyril Ramaphosa's visit to the White House resurfaced. In May, the president visited the Oval Office alongside a delegation, where he met with US President Donald Trump. In the video, Ramaphosa shakes the hands of US officials, whilst Elon Musk laughs and looks on. 'Elon Musk doesn't touch k******. This is embarrassing 💔', read a X post. However, a community note quickly corrected the fake news by posting the full clip of Elon shaking the president's hand. Last year, the two men met to discuss the potential operation of Elon Musk's internet satellite service, Starlink, in the country. In images posted by the president, Musk was seen smiling while shaking his hand. South Africa is one of a few African countries that has not granted Elon Musk's internet satellite service, Starlink, a licence to operate. According to the world's richest man, this is a result of 'racist laws', which require his company to adhere to a 30% local ownership mandate. The Pretoria-born billionaire is referring to the transformative legislation, Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), which he has reportedly rejected. According to reports, Starlink, which falls under SpaceX, could effectively bypass the law with its plans to invest over R2 billion in the country. Business Day reports that the company would finance infrastructure to support the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which is made up of 16 countries. Could Starlink operate in South Africa without adehering to transformative legislation? Images via X: @starlink In May, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi gazetted a policy direction for his department on Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs), which are considered 'alternatives' to transformative legislation. Without mentioning Starlink or Elon Musk, the minister claimed that the policy would 'attract investment,' specifically in operating licensing. The minister revealed that current legislation for foreign investments 'did not allow companies to contribute to transformation goals in ways other than traditional ownership'. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.