South Africa is set to propose a workaround for its Black ownership laws, allowing Elon Musk’s Starlink service to operate in the country, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
This offer will be discussed in a meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening between South African officials and Musk or his representatives.
Musk, who was born in South Africa, previously claimed that Starlink was unable to launch in the country due to his race, a statement denied by South African authorities. The country’s telecom regulator noted in March that Starlink had not applied for the necessary licence.
Musk’s comments seemed to criticize South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment policies, which mandate that foreign telecom companies sell 30% of their local equity to historically disadvantaged groups.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his delegation arrived in Washington on Monday to repair strained relations with the U.S. He is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, with the issue of Starlink’s licence expected to be on the agenda.