“We’re Used to That”: SA Reacts to Man Bragging About Starlink Speed in Lesotho

A Facebook video of a Lesotho man boasting about his Starlink internet speeds left South Africans unimpressed in April 2026. Albert Shoapha shared a clip showing download speeds of around 116Mbps and upload speeds of 37Mbps on a cloudy day.

Shoapha was clearly blown away by the connection. He said that where he comes from, those kinds of speeds are unheard of. South Africans in the comments had very different feelings about it.

SA claps back

Many locals said they get those speeds, or better, without Starlink. One commenter said they get the same on a standard Vodacom prepaid SIM. Another said their home router is ten times faster. The overall vibe was that Shoapha’s big flex was just a normal day in Mzansi.

Starlink only launched in Lesotho in 2025 after the country’s communications authority granted SpaceX a 10-year operating licence. With internet at just 47%, Lesotho’s rugged terrain had long made reliable broadband difficult to access. So for many Basotho, those speeds are life-changing.

Read also

"They want to loot funds": SA pushes back as Tshwane plans to rename Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria

South Africa’s situation is different. Starlink cannot operate there due to laws that require at least 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged South Africans, in line with B-BBEE regulations. One Facebook commenter also pointed out that the Starlink dish has to be placed outside, which could be a real issue in South Africa’s climate and security environment.

The standard Starlink kit in Lesotho costs around R7,400, with a monthly subscription of R950. For South Africans used to fast fibre at competitive prices, the excitement in Shoapha’s video was a little hard to relate to.

Watch the video below:

More about Starlink

• Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Solly Malatsi, proposed legislative amendments that, if approved, could allow Starlink to operate in South Africa.
• Starlink aims to secure a South African operating licence to provide internet connectivity for rural schools.
• An American TikTok creator is breaking down why Elon Musk is frustrated with South Africa.

Source: Briefly News