Elon Musk's Starlink has successfully launched satellite internet services in several African countries, including Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Zambia, while South Africa has been left waiting since 2021.

Despite the availability of Starlink services in neighboring nations, South Africa remains without access, primarily due to regulatory hurdles.

Musk has indicated that Starlink is currently 'waiting for regulatory approval' in South Africa, which has contributed to the ongoing delays.

In light of these delays, AfriForum has called on the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to eliminate strict race-based ownership requirements that are obstructing Starlink's licensing process.

The organization argues that these race-based ownership criteria are discriminatory and should not be part of ICASA's licensing framework for internet service providers.

Currently, ICASA mandates a 30% Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) ownership requirement for licenses issued to satellite service providers, which has been a point of contention.

AfriForum emphasizes the importance of reliable internet access, particularly in rural areas, where poor cellphone signals can compromise safety and emergency communications.

These comments from AfriForum come in response to a proposed Licensing Framework for Satellite Services that is currently open for public comment.

ICASA chairperson Mothibi Ramusi has noted that the regulator has not yet received a formal application from Starlink to operate in South Africa.

Interestingly, only 15 out of 54 African countries lack a timeline for Starlink's commissioning, underscoring South Africa's significant delay in accessing this service.

As it stands, the Starlink coverage map indicates that the service's availability date in South Africa remains 'unknown,' leaving many users in limbo.