The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele has refuted local media claims that government is blocking the operation of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network.
Gungubele’s department has released an official statement on the matter: “The Department wishes to place it on record that in order to operate an electronic communications network such as satellite to offer a service in South Africa, an individual Electronic Communications Network Service (iECNS) licence and an individual Electronic Communications Service (iECS) licence that are used in conjunction with a Radio Frequency Spectrum licence are a requirement,” it says.
“These are obtainable on application from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). The Minister wishes to state categorically that the custodian of the licensing process is the Authority, (ICASA).
“The Authority has advised the Minister that such applications have not been received from Starlink to date,” it continues. “It is therefore not true that government is blocking the operation of Starlink in South Africa. Any interested party wishing to apply for a licence, including Starlink may, through appropriate channels, approach the Authority with its application and comply with the prevailing legislation in the country.”