South Africa's Starlink licencing row becomes political battle over telecom reforms

South Africa's Communications Minister, Solly Malatsi, is no stranger to the cutthroat world of telecom politics. But in a surprise move, he's turned the tables on Parliament and accused them of trying to undermine his reform agenda. The Starlink licencing row has become a full-blown battle over telecom reforms, and Malatsi is at the forefront of it all.

For South Africa, the issue is simple: can they accommodate low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operators like Starlink while preserving their black economic empowerment framework? The country's Electronic Communications Act requires network operators to have at least 30% black ownership, a rule that's proven tough for foreign companies to navigate. Starlink, the SpaceX-owned satellite broadband service, has been unable to secure a licence in South Africa because they can't meet this requirement.

But this is more than just a technical hurdle. At the heart of the dispute is the question of whether private lobbying is influencing government policy. Former DA leader Tony Leon's public affairs firm, Resolve Communications, has been accused of facilitating engagements between government ministers and private clients, including Starlink. John Steenhuisen, a senior ANC member, made the allegations, which have sparked a heated debate about the role of private interests in policy and regulatory decisions.

Solly Malatsi is pushing back against these allegations, insisting that his reforms predated any engagement with Starlink. In a sharply worded letter to Parliament, he argued that recognising Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs) in the ICT sector was already part of both the DA's 2024 election manifesto and the GNU's Medium Term Development Plan. It's a clever move, one that turns the tables on Parliament and suggests that they're the ones trying to undermine his reform agenda.

But not everyone is convinced. Khusela Sangoni, the chairperson of Parliament's communications committee, has expressed concerns about the relationship between public office bearers and private interests in policy and regulatory decisions. She invoked the State Capture era, where private interests sought to direct government policy and executive decisions. It's a worrying precedent, one that could undermine the country's efforts to reform its telecoms sector.

The dispute is far from over. Solly Malatsi's letter has marked a turning point in the Starlink licencing row, but it's unclear what the outcome will be. Will Parliament back down, or will they continue to push for greater transparency in government policy?The Starlink licencing row is a microcosm of the bigger debate about telecom reforms in South Africa. As the country grapples with the implications of 5G and the challenges of digital inclusion, one thing is clear: the politics of telecoms is a minefield, and anyone who enters it unprepared is likely to get blown up.