No Starlink until ICASA licensing conditions met, says Malatsi

Minister of communications and digital technologies, Solly Malatsi, said to the best of his knowledge, Starlink is not yet licensed by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to legally operate in SA. Until this happens, communities looking to increase digital inclusivity will have to continue to wait for the service, he noted.

Malatsi was responding to a question from a member of the audience attending the two-day ISACA SA Chapter 2025 annual conference, hosted in Pretoria last week.

The question was when could communities that are under-serviced by telecommunications services providers or without access to existing telecommunications infrastructure expect to see Starlink materialise.

Malatsi said low Earth orbit satellite had a role to play in fostering digital inclusion, a topic of global attention, but added: “You can only operate in South Africa if you have a licence authorised by ICASA or are in the process of applying for a licence. To the best of my knowledge, Starlink has not yet done so, so that answers that question.”

The minister added that while SA has a strong digital foundation and there are pockets of progress, there are also gaps that remain.

He cited limited internet access, high cost of digital devices and data, and skills development as among the most serious inhibitors.

“Twenty-five percent of households own a computer, while 92% of homes own a smartphone and 1.8 million households have the internet. However, basic connectivity is still out of reach for many communities. This digital divide is a reality that we cannot accept…

“The reality is that the cost of data in South Africa is undeniably expensive. The government is focused on driving down the cost to communicate and address the need for broadband access in communities not reached by current telecommunications infrastructure,” said Malatsi.

He reminded the audience that from 1 April this year, SA removed the 9% luxury tax on smartphones under R2 500, adding that the World Bank and GSMA are in a partnership to eliminate high costs and taxes applied to mobile services to encourage digital inclusion.

The government’s priorities are to drive universal access to connectivity and digital communications and provide a further 5.5 million households with this access by the end of 2026.

The minister acknowledged the need to strengthen infrastructure to equip learners and educators with the means to understand the digital economy and contribute – including a strategic and methodical approach to embracing emerging technologies like AI.

“AI in schools is a conversation that we cannot avoid; it has to become part of the school curriculum… we acknowledge the need for digital infrastructure in educational institutions,” Malatsi continued, with a word of caution to delegates that cyber crime is a major problem that holds back digital progress.

He said on the very morning he was speaking, he had heard about a school in Limpopo that had 100 tablets stolen.

“We want to make progress to empower learners with digital skills, but the criminal element in communities is a major setback.”