Elon Musk Slams South Africa’s ‘Racist’ Starlink Block

Elon Musk and Cyril Ramaphosa the current President of South Africa.

PRETORIA, South Africa

Elon Musk, born in Pretoria, has accused South African authorities of denying Starlink a license simply because he is not Black, calling it blatant racism.

In a strongly worded post on X, the billionaire wrote: “South Africa won’t allow Starlink to be licensed, even though I was BORN THERE, simply because I am not Black! We were offered many times the opportunity to bribe our way to a license by pretending that a Black guy runs Starlink SA, but I have refused to do so on principle. Racism should not be rewarded no matter to which race it is applied. Shame on the racist politicians in South Africa.”

The conflict stems from the Black People's Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) regulations, which require 30% Black local ownership for telecommunications licenses. Musk has rejected nominee agreements and insists on equal treatment.

Despite offers such as the 500 million rand (US$30 million) bid to connect 5,000 rural schools, Starlink remains unlicensed. Approximately 14,000 South Africans use it illegally via international roaming, while the service operates legally in many other African countries.

Policies are under review, and some relaxation of fairness rules through equity-equivalent investments is being proposed, but as of April 2026, no licenses had been granted.