EFF FIGHTS TO KEEP STARLINK OUT OF SA

The EFF has vowed to “never allow” Starling to be launched in South Africa.

Starlink, the satellite service owned by Pretoria-born billionaire Elon Musk, has repeatedly said it is keen to invest in the country.

But Musk has made it clear that he refuses to sell 30% of the company’s equity in its South African operation, saying he objects to the rules that prevent him from launching Starlink “because I’m not black”.

TechCentral reports that current licensing rules compel companies seeking licences through the communications regulator Icasa to sell 30% of their equity to black investors.

Now, the focus is on the government to revise the licensing rules so that companies like Starlink can invest in the country and create jobs.

This has led to EFF MP Sinawo Thambo addressing parliament to make it clear his party objects to the plants introducing equity equivalence investment programmes in the ICT sector.

“This is a proposal we’ve objected to, because the so-called alignment would require an amendment to legislation, and this cannot be achieved through a ministerial policy directive.”

He added: “In our view, this is all in service of allowing Starlink to operate in South Africa, and we must be clear that we will never allow Starlink, which has weaponised misinformation and captured the White House, to erode US and South African diplomatic relations to ease business access in South Africa.”

Image credit: Central News