Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has reignited tensions with South Africa, launching a fresh attack on the country’s telecommunications regulatory framework while alleging bribery in an ongoing dispute over the rollout of Starlink.
In a post on X, Musk claimed Starlink has been unable to secure approval to operate in South Africa due to local ownership rules tied to race.
He further alleged that the company had been offered opportunities to bypass these requirements by misrepresenting its ownership structure — claims that, if substantiated, could raise serious concerns about the integrity of South Africa’s regulatory system.
“We were offered many times the opportunity to bribe our way to a license … but I have refused to do so on principle,” Musk said, adding that “racism should not be rewarded no matter to which race it is applied.”
“Shame on the racist politicians in South Africa. They should be shown no respect whatsoever anywhere in the world and shunned for being unashamedly RACISTS!” he added.
South Africa’s telecommunications sector is governed in part by Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) policies, designed to increase participation by historically disadvantaged groups in the economy.
In practice, these rules often require foreign companies to meet local ownership or partnership thresholds before receiving operating licences.
Musk, who was born in Pretoria, has become increasingly vocal in his opposition to such requirements, arguing they unfairly exclude companies that do not meet specific racial ownership criteria.
His latest remarks have reignited debate over whether South Africa’s transformation policies are deterring foreign investment in critical sectors, including telecommunications.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, has expanded rapidly across Africa, offering satellite-based internet services in countries with limited broadband infrastructure. However, South Africa — one of the continent’s largest and most developed economies — remains without full regulatory approval for the service.
South African authorities have yet to formally respond to Musk’s latest allegations. Officials have consistently maintained that all companies must comply with national laws and empowerment policies, framing B-BBEE as a necessary tool to address deep-rooted economic inequality.