Cape Town - The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies has summoned Minister Solly Malatsi to explain new policy directives that appear to ease Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment B-BBEE requirements for satellite service licences, potentially benefiting Elon Musk's company, Starlink.
In a statement on X, Committee Chairperson Khusela Diko raised concerns that the directives may violate the Electronic Communications Act and unfairly favour SpaceX.
"The Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies has invited Minister Solly Malatsi and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies to appear before the committee and brief on the recently gazetted policy directions," she said.
The policy was issued shortly after President Cyril Ramaphosa met with US President Donald Trump and Musk, amid reports of government efforts to attract US investment.
Critics, including the opposition party Build One South Africa BOSA, have condemned the move as undermining local businesses and bending laws for wealthy foreigners.