- US Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III weighed in on the Starlink licensing dispute
- Bozell claimed Musk offered to provide free Starlink connectivity to 500 schools in perpetuity but was turned down
- The dispute centres on South Africa's B-BBEE laws requiring 30% local black ownership for full telecom licences
Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has spent a decade reporting on South Africa's political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG — United States Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III has publicly criticised the South African government over its handling of Elon Musk's bid to operate Starlink in the country, calling the ownership demands "preposterously silly."
Speaking in an interview with The Common Sense, Bozell described what he understood to be the terms Musk had placed on the table before walking away from negotiations.
Bozell's account of the Starlink talks
According to Bozell, Musk was willing to install Starlink connectivity in 500 South African schools at no cost and fund the service indefinitely, but refused to cede any ownership stake in the company.
"What he offered was to put Starlink for free in 500 schools and pay for it in perpetuity. Not a bad deal to make. But he said, 'I'm not going to give you my company.'"
He said the South African government's insistence on a 30% equity share left no room for agreement.
"He said, 'Go pound sand. I'll go in every other country on planet Earth,'" Bozell recounted, characterising the government's position as unreasonable.
Bozell acknowledged he had not spoken directly with Musk and was conveying his understanding of events.
The B-BBEE requirement at the Centre of the row
South Africa's Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) legislation requires companies seeking a full telecommunications licence to be at least 30% owned by historically disadvantaged South Africans.
SpaceX, which operates Starlink, does not offer ownership stakes to local partners in any of the markets it enters and has never submitted a licence application to ICASA.
Musk has previously claimed on social media that Starlink is blocked in South Africa due to his race, a claim South African officials have rejected. Government representatives have maintained that the rules apply uniformly to all applicants regardless of the identity of the company's founder, and that Starlink remains welcome to operate once it complies with existing law.
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Solly Malatsi, previously proposed legislative amendments that, if approved, could allow Starlink to operate in South Africa.
Musk claims he was asked to pay a bribe
Briefly News reported that Musk claimed that he was denied a licence for Starlink in South Africa due to his race.
The Tesla owner went one step further and alleged that he was offered a way to get a licence by paying a bribe.
South Africans took to social media to discuss Musk's latest claims, sharing mixed reactions to them.
Source: Briefly News
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