Starlink to Test South Africa Links It Still Cannot Sell

Africa · Technology

Key Facts

—The test: Starship’s thirteenth flight will deploy 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites that will attempt laser links with ground stations in South Africa, per Billionaires.Africa.

—The launch: Lift-off from Starbase, Texas, as soon as Thursday, with a 90-minute window opening at 5:45 pm Central time.

—The paradox: South Africa is the one African market where Starlink still cannot legally sell service — in the country of Elon Musk’s birth.

—The rule: Licensees must be at least 30 per cent owned by historically disadvantaged groups; the regulator ICASA ruled in May that an equity-alternative route needs a change in law.

—Money waiting: SpaceX has pledged roughly US$29 million for free internet at 5,000 schools and about US$120 million in local infrastructure if licensed.

—The continent: Starlink operates in more than two dozen African markets, with Africa accounting for roughly half a million of its estimated 10 million users at the end of last year.

SpaceX will try to beam data from orbit to ground stations in South Africa this week, a test that puts the Starlink South Africa standoff back in the spotlight: the country of Elon Musk’s birth is the one African market where the satellite service still cannot legally be sold. The link-up rides on Starship’s thirteenth test flight, which will carry Starlink satellites for the first time.

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A first for Starship

Flight 13 is scheduled to lift off as soon as Thursday from Starbase in south Texas, with a 90-minute window opening at 5:45 pm Central time, per Billionaires.Africa. It is the second flight of the V3 vehicle, pairing Super Heavy Booster 20 with Ship 40.

For the first time, Starship will carry Starlink satellites. Twenty next-generation V3 units will deploy from the upper stage, extend their solar arrays and antennas, and attempt to connect with the wider constellation — and with ground stations in South Africa — using high-capacity laser links.

Six of the satellites carry cameras trained on Starship’s heat shield, with several tiles painted white to mimic missing ones. The flight repeats a suborbital profile, ending in a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

The country that will not license it

South African law requires telecoms licensees to be at least 30 per cent owned by historically disadvantaged groups, a condition rooted in the country’s Black economic empowerment framework. SpaceX will not sell local equity, so it holds neither of the two licences the Electronic Communications Act demands.

Communications minister Solly Malatsi gazetted a policy direction in December recognising equity-equivalent investment programmes as an alternative. But the regulator ICASA ruled in May that it cannot apply that route unless parliament amends the act, and no legislation has been tabled.

Musk, who was born in Pretoria, has said publicly that Starlink is blocked because he is not Black and has described the ownership rules as racist. South African officials counter that the company faces the same conditions as every other operator.

Money on the table

SpaceX has pledged roughly US$29 million to supply free internet to 5,000 South African schools and about US$120 million towards local infrastructure if it is licensed. Analysts see a legal launch arriving in 2027 at the earliest.

This week’s test needs no sales licence, because nothing is being sold. It does, however, demonstrate to regulators and the public exactly what the network could deliver the day the rules change.

The rest of the continent said yes

Starlink went live in Nigeria and Rwanda in 2023 and now operates in more than two dozen African markets, including Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Sierra Leone. It became Nigeria’s second-largest internet service provider within two years.

Africa accounted for roughly half a million of Starlink’s estimated 10 million users at the end of last year. The rollout has not been frictionless — Botswana initially rejected an application and Cameroon suspended the service in 2024 — but South Africa remains the conspicuous holdout.

A public company’s test flight

The stakes have changed since Starship last flew. SpaceX went public on 12 June in the largest initial offering in market history, raising US$85.7 billion and briefly valuing the company above US$2 trillion, though shares have since slipped towards their US$135 listing price.

Starlink subscriptions generate the bulk of SpaceX’s revenue, which reached US$18.67 billion last year, and the heavier V3 satellites can only be carried in volume by Starship. After Flight 12’s booster problems in May, Thursday’s launch is a test of the business model as much as the rocket — watched by shareholders as well as engineers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will Starship Flight 13 test over South Africa?

Twenty Starlink V3 satellites deployed by Starship will attempt high-capacity laser links with ground stations in South Africa, the first time Starship has carried Starlink satellites.

Why can Starlink not sell service in South Africa?

Telecoms licensees must be at least 30 per cent owned by historically disadvantaged groups. SpaceX will not sell local equity, and the regulator ICASA ruled in May that the proposed equity-equivalent alternative requires parliament to amend the law first.

What has SpaceX offered South Africa?

The company has pledged roughly US$29 million to connect 5,000 schools free of charge and about US$120 million in local infrastructure investment if it is granted a licence. Analysts expect a legal launch in 2027 at the earliest.

How big is Starlink in Africa?

Starlink operates in more than two dozen African markets and became Nigeria’s second-largest internet provider within two years. Africa accounted for roughly half a million of its estimated 10 million global users at the end of last year.

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