Mr. Musk said Starlink was banned in South Africa because he is not black.

Elon Musk has accused South Africa of banning Starlink’s internet coverage because he is “not black,” while local authorities have denied receiving SpaceX’s application for a license.

South African regulators say Musk’s company never applied for a license, and was not banned because he is not black – Photo: REUTERS

Accusation without submitting license application

On March 7, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and owner of social media platform X, posted a status claiming that the Starlink satellite internet service was banned in South Africa because he was “not black”.

This statement was repeated by Mr. Musk in an online interview at the Qatar Economic Forum on May 20, causing renewed interest among social media users.

However, according to confirmation from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to the BBC in March, the South African government has not banned Starlink from operating in the country.

ICASA said that as of March, Mr Musk’s company had not applied for a licence , and that if it had applied in accordance with South African law , the request would have been considered.

South Africa’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later also announced that it welcomes Starlink to operate if it complies with the country’s laws.

Fact-checking organization Snopes contacted ICASA again in May to verify whether SpaceX had filed an application or had signed any agreements recently, but the agency has not yet issued an official response.

South Africa considers exception for Starlink

According to Snopes , after apartheid ended in South Africa in 1994, the administration of former South African President Nelson Mandela adopted a series of policies to promote economic participation of people of color.

Among them, the requirement that foreign businesses cooperate with companies owned by black South Africans is considered a condition for being licensed to operate in a number of areas, including telecommunications.

According to a report by Semafor in February, the South African government considered making exceptions for Mr. Musk’s companies, including Starlink.

On May 20, Bloomberg News reported that the South African government had signed an agreement with SpaceX, removing the requirement to cooperate with local businesses, thereby paving the way for Starlink to deploy services in the country.

Also in February, the Trump administration suspended some aid to South Africa, citing discrimination against whites in the country — an argument that has been used by Trump and his close adviser Elon Musk in connection with allegations of “ white genocide ” in South Africa.

According to fact-checking site Snopes , Elon Musk’s claim that Starlink was banned from operating in South Africa because he is “not black” is currently unsubstantiated.

Meanwhile, South African authorities and many reputable sources said the real reason was that SpaceX had not completed the legal procedures required by the country.