Communications minister Mondli Gungubele says the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) is in charge of licensing satellite operations in the country.
This, after reports emerged this week that the government is “blocking” South African-born Elon Musk’s satellite company, Starlink, from rolling out Internet services locally.
The reports were based on a statement issued by DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard.
A statement issued by Gungubele’s ministry, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, says in order to operate an electronic communications network such as satellite to offer a service in SA, an individual Electronic Communications Network Service licence and an individual Electronic Communications Service licence that are used in conjunction with a radio frequency spectrum licence are a requirement.
The statement says these [licences] are obtainable on application from ICASA.
It says: “The minister wishes to state categorically that the custodian of the licensing process is the authority, ICASA.
“The authority has advised the minister that such applications have not been received from Starlink, to date. It is, therefore, not true that government is blocking the operation of Starlink in South Africa.
“Any interested party wishing to apply for a licence, including Starlink, may through appropriate channels, approach the authority with its application and comply with the prevailing legislation in the country.”
Starlink is a satellite Internet constellation operated by SpaceX, providing satellite Internet access coverage to 47 countries. It also aims for global mobile phone service after 2023.
SpaceX started launching its low earth orbit satellites in 2019.
In February, West African nation Nigeria became the first country on the continent to receive Starlink’s satellite Internet service.
In the case of SA, it is “unknown” when Starlink will be available in the country, based on SpaceX’s coverage map which shows the 20 African countries will get the offering.
Other African countries with “unknown” Starlink availability statuses include Algeria, Libya, Niger, Ethiopia and Sudan, among others.
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