ICASA finally explains what Starlink must do to enter South Africa

Here’s what I’ve got for you today:

South Africa’s communications regulator has finally spelt out what Starlink and other satellite Internet providers must do if they want to operate legally in the country. In a Government Gazette notice published this week, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) clarified that satellite operators cannot simply switch on services. Instead, they must obtain the required communications and spectrum licences or acquire an existing licence from another operator where regulations allow. The clarification comes after months of confusion over what exactly Starlink needed to enter the South African market.

The announcement doesn’t mean Starlink is about to launch in South Africa, but it does remove some uncertainty around the licensing process. Companies that want to sell Internet services directly to consumers will need a full set of licences, including Electronic Communications Service (I-ECS), Electronic Communications Network Service (I-ECNS), and Radio Frequency Spectrum licences. Wholesale-only operators still need network and spectrum licences. ICASA also noted that applications for some licences can only begin once it issues an Invitation to Apply (ITA), following a policy direction from the communications minister.

Interestingly, Starlink’s South African expansion has become one of the continent’s biggest telecom policy debates. The company has repeatedly said it wants to launch in the country, but it has yet to submit a formal licence application. Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has been pushing for Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs) to be recognised as an alternative way for multinational companies to meet South Africa’s empowerment requirements instead of selling local equity. That proposal has sparked fierce political opposition, with critics arguing it weakens the country’s Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) framework.

The standoff has been building for more than a year. In May 2025, Malatsi proposed changes that could make it easier for global firms like Starlink to qualify for licences. In December 2025, he formally directed ICASA to consider updating its regulations. Earlier this year, Starlink urged South Africans to support the proposed changes, arguing that regulatory reform would allow it to connect underserved communities much faster. Meanwhile, ICASA has maintained that Starlink remains unlicensed and cannot legally provide services until it satisfies the country’s regulatory requirements.

For now, the ball remains in Starlink’s court. ICASA’s latest notice provides a clearer roadmap, but the bigger issues, particularly the ownership and empowerment rules, remain unresolved. Until those regulatory questions are settled and the company secures the necessary licences, South Africa will remain one of the few major African markets where Starlink is still officially unavailable, even as the satellite provider continues expanding across the rest of the continent.

Kenya’s Court of Appeal has removed one of the biggest roadblocks to Vodacom’s planned $1.6 billion acquisition of an additional 15% stake in Safaricom, giving the government the green light to move ahead with the long-delayed transaction. The ruling, delivered on June 26, 2026, overturns earlier court orders that had frozen the sale, allowing the National Treasury to continue with a deal that would increase Vodacom’s ownership in East Africa’s largest telecom operator from about 40% to 55%. While the constitutional case challenging the sale is still alive, the judges ruled that the public interest favoured allowing the transaction to proceed in the meantime.

The decision is a major win for President William Ruto’s administration, which has been counting on the roughly KSh 204.3 billion ($1.6 billion) from the sale to ease pressure on public finances. Treasury officials have argued that the proceeds will help fund infrastructure projects, strengthen Kenya’s fiscal position and reduce the government’s reliance on new borrowing and tax increases. For Vodacom, the acquisition cements its control over Safaricom, the operator behind the hugely successful M-Pesa mobile money platform that serves millions of users across Kenya and the wider region.

The case has attracted national attention because it goes beyond a simple share sale. Critics argue that handing majority control of Safaricom to a foreign-owned company raises serious questions about data sovereignty, national security and public participation. Safaricom processes billions of shillings in mobile money transactions every day through M-Pesa and holds sensitive financial data belonging to more than 30 million customers. Petitioners insisted that such a strategic asset should not be transferred without broader public consultation, while the government maintained that existing legal safeguards are sufficient to protect citizens’ data.

The legal battle began in March 2026, when High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi temporarily stopped the transaction after petitions challenged the constitutionality of the sale. The dispute intensified in April, shortly after Parliament approved the government’s plan to reduce its stake in Safaricom. In May, another petition backed by former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka prompted a three-judge High Court bench to maintain the suspension, citing unresolved constitutional and data-governance concerns. That decision effectively stalled one of Kenya’s biggest privatisation plans until the Court of Appeal stepped in this week.

Although the latest ruling revives the transaction, the debate is far from over. The constitutional petitions remain before the courts, meaning questions around public participation, ownership of critical digital infrastructure and data protection have yet to be fully settled. Whatever the final outcome, the case is already shaping how African governments may approach future privatisations involving telecom operators that have become central to both national economies and digital public infrastructure.

Mastercard has officially launched its first African Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, setting up the new hub in Johannesburg as cyberattacks become a growing threat to the continent’s rapidly expanding digital economy. The company says the centre will bring together governments, banks, fintechs and businesses to share cyber intelligence, strengthen defences and improve how organisations respond to attacks. The announcement was made yesterday, June 29, following a visit by Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach to South Africa and Nigeria.