As the back-and-forth between Elon Musk and policymakers continues, one question keeps coming up: who actually has the power to approve or block Starlink in South Africa? The answer is not as straightforward as it seems. It’s not one person, one department, or even one decision.
It is a system involving policy, regulation, and compliance. Starlink can only operate in South Africa if it gets a licence from the country’s telecoms regulator, but that licence depends on whether it complies with national laws set by the government. Simply put, the government sets the rules, regulators enforce them, and companies must comply.
The regulator: Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) ICASA is the body that issues telecom licences, checks whether companies meet legal requirements and if it can approve or reject applications. For Starlink, this means applying for an electronic communications network service (ECNS) licence and an electronic communications service (ECS) licence. Without these, the service cannot legally operate, even if there is demand. South Africa’s telecom rules, including transformation requirements, come from government policy and legislation.
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