Malatsi to pen letter to ICASA over global comms companies against SA's BEE policy
Malatsi said he would write to the country’s information regulatory body, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), on its stance on equity equivalents.
- Department of Communications and Digital Technologies
- Broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE)
- Independent Communications Authority (ICASA)
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi. Picture: @CommsZA/X
JOHANNESBURG - Democratic Alliance (DA) member and Minister of Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi is seeking clarity on whether Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) ownership is required for global communication companies that wish to establish operations in the country.
Malatsi said he would write to the country’s information regulatory body, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), on its stance on equity equivalents.
The minister spoke at the DA’s media briefing on Friday, reflecting on 100 days of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
For many years, there has been speculation that the reason the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has not set up his internet company, Starlink, in South Africa is due to BEE policies.
The Electronic Communications Act requires a company to have at least 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged people before being granted an operation licence.
Malatsi said clarity is needed on this.
"This is not specifically for one company. We are looking at how we can broaden freedom of choice for the internet user and potential internet users in order to close the digital divide that currently exists in our country."
Malatsi said millions of people in the country’s rural areas do not have access to the internet, something that low-orbit satellite companies can solve.