Starlink Hardware Can Enter South Africa, but Service Use Still Restricted

• South Africa has clarified that Starlink hardware can be legally imported, but using the service without proper licences remains illegal
• Icasa-approved Starlink products, including Mini and Gen 2 dishes, can clear customs, while operations must comply with local electronic communications regulations
• Elon Musk has criticised South Africa’s BEE laws and transformation policies, but government officials insist any Starlink operations must follow national laws

Recent social media posts suggesting that Starlink equipment is being smuggled into South Africa from neighbouring countries have been clarified. A video shared on X by PSAFLIVE, an independent news outlet, showed a Starlink Mini dish installed on a building in the North West province.

In the clip, the narrator jokingly referenced bypassing local launch approvals, implying that the equipment came from Botswana, where Starlink is legally licensed to operate.

“We don’t wait for Elon Musk; Elon Musk will find us operating,” they quipped.

Read also

Natalie du Toit in tax trouble: SARS demands over R1 million

Is owning Starlink hardware illegal in South Africa?

According to reports from MyBroadband, importing Starlink hardware into South Africa is not illegal.

Unofficial distributors confirmed that dozens of Starlink units are entering the country openly, using type-approval certificates. Many products already have type approval from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), allowing them to clear customs without any issues. The only reason someone might smuggle Starlink equipment would be to avoid paying import duties, which is illegal.

Which Starlink products are authorised for import?

Icasa’s latest approved products list includes:

• Starlink UTA-221 – Gen 2 High-Performance Actuated Dish
• Starlink UTR-211 – Gen 2 Wi-Fi Router
• Starlink Dish UTA-212 – Gen 2 Standard Actuated Dish
• Starlink Dish UTA-231 – Mini Dish with built-in router
• Starlink Satellite Earth Station Gateway – Ground station antenna connecting satellites to terrestrial internet networks

Using Starlink service is still illegal

While owning Starlink hardware is legal, using the service in South Africa without the proper licences remains unlawful. Starlink requires both an electronic communications service and an electronic communications network service licence from Icasa. Licence applications must meet local ownership requirements, including at least 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged groups. Icasa chairperson Mothibi Ramusi has warned that the regulator may escalate matters to the International Telecommunication Union if it discovers Starlink operating illegally. For now, South Africans can legally import Starlink hardware but using the service without a licence could result in sanctions.

Read also

DA calls for body cameras for police after fatal KZN shootouts, SA weighs in

South Africa confirms Starlink can operate if local laws are followed

The South African government has clarified that SpaceX’s Starlink service may operate in the country, provided it fully complies with local laws and regulations. This statement came after reports suggested that Communications Minister Solly Malatsi had allegedly tried to bypass legal requirements to allow Starlink to operate. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) criticised the minister, accusing him of attempting to give SpaceX special treatment outside the law.Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya reiterated on 15 December 2025, during a year-end progress report, that Starlink is welcome in South Africa only if it adheres to all regulatory frameworks.

Previously, Briefly News rreported that Elon Musk has repeatedly criticised South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws, claiming they unfairly disadvantage non-Black individuals. In an interview at the Qatar Economic Forum on 20 May 2025, Musk questioned why he could not obtain an operating licence for Starlink in the country. His remarks sparked backlash, with critics highlighting that the challenges facing Starlink are legal and regulatory, not personal. Government officials have reiterated that any Starlink operations in South Africa must comply with local laws, including BEE requirements.

Read also

Elon Musk challenges South Africa's BEE laws in controversial remarks on Starlink operations

In a related statement, Musk claimed South Africa’s BEE laws are more discriminatory than those enforced during apartheid. In a post on X, he argued that current legislation targets white South Africans more than apartheid-era laws targeted black people. Using Starlink as an example, Musk highlighted the difficulties of operating under the country’s transformation policies and argued that race-based legislation should not exist.

Source: Briefly News