Musk claimed Starlink isn't allowed to operate in South Africa because he's not Black. Here's what we know

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

On March 7, 2025, Elon Musk, the South Africa-born tech billionaire who owns the space aeronautics company SpaceX and the social media platform X, claimed in a post that Starlink, the satellite internet service provider operated by SpaceX, was not allowed to operate in South Africa because, in his words, "I'm not black."

He repeated the statement during a remote interview at the Qatar Economic Forum on May 20, which repopularized the claim on social media.

However, South Africa's telecommunications regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), told the BBC in March that Starlink wasn't banned from the country at all. The nation's foreign ministry said Starlink would be welcome to operate in the country as long as it followed South African law. According to ICASA, Musk's company simply never submitted an application to operate in the nation.

Snopes reached out to ICASA for comment, asking if Starlink had submitted an application in the last few months or if the South African government had come to an agreement with Musk that would allow Starlink to operate in the nation. We had not heard back at the time of publishing and aren't placing a truth rating on this claim.

https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/05/23/starlink-banned-south-africa-musk-black/

[Walleye]

1. It's not because of his color, it's because he's an asshole

These fucking people don’t think the rules ever apply to them

[yardwork]

2. Constant lies.

[Attilatheblond]

3. It's not because Elon is white, it's because white Elon thinks laws are only for other people

The nation's foreign ministry said Starlink would be welcome to operate in the country as long as it followed South African law.

[Lovie777]

4. Well musk don't want to follow South African law.............

well hell he doesn't follow USA laws.................

with the help of shithole and the fucked up republicans.

[allegorical oracle]

5. Remarkable how these two billionaire pathological liars found each other. Kismet. nt