A post on X by DogeDesigner, an account operating under the handle @cb_doge and widely known for its support of Elon Musk, has drawn attention to the consequences of South Africa’s race-based telecommunications ownership regulations. The post argues that South Africa is denying millions of children access to free high-speed internet by preventing Starlink from entering the market. 

It cites World Bank research on the economic benefits of broadband penetration, a substantial investment commitment by SpaceX to connect rural schools, and the growing number of African countries in which Starlink is already operational.

The economic argument has its origins in research published by the World Bank in a 2009 report, Information and Communications for Development. The study found that a 10-percentage-point increase in broadband penetration was associated with an increase of 1.21 percentage points in economic growth in high-income economies, and 1.38 percentage points in low- and middle-income economies. South Africa falls into the latter category. These findings are statistical associations rather than guaranteed increases in growth, but they demonstrate the considerable economic importance of expanding broadband access. South Africa’s communications minister, Solly Malatsi, himself cited the 1.21 percentage-point figure in an official 2024 government statement.

The investment proposal referred to in the post is also documented. In a letter sent to Trade, Industry, and Competition Minister Parks Tau in June 2025, SpaceX committed to investing R500 million to connect 5 000 rural schools to free high-speed internet, potentially benefiting more than 2.4 million pupils annually. The proposal would bring connectivity to some of the poorest and most isolated communities in South Africa, where access to reliable internet services is often severely limited or entirely absent.

Over the last month, and following an exclusive interview with the American ambassador to South Africa, The Common Sense has written on the potential benefits that Starlink could bring to South Africa.

The obstacle is South Africa’s telecommunications licensing framework, which requires qualifying licensees to comply with historically disadvantaged ownership provisions. Starlink has proposed satisfying South Africa’s empowerment objectives through an Equity Equivalent Investment Programme rather than transferring a portion of its ownership. The company argues that existing empowerment legislation accommodates this approach, but that telecommunications licensing regulations do not adequately recognise it. This disagreement has become central to Starlink’s inability to secure the necessary authorisation to operate in South Africa.

The post further points out that Starlink is already operational in more than 20 African countries, where its satellite technology is extending internet connectivity to communities beyond the reach of conventional telecommunications infrastructure. Its central argument is that South Africa is being left behind, not because the technology is unavailable or the investment cannot be financed, but because of the government’s insistence on enforcing race-based ownership requirements. The broader economic question is whether regulations intended to advance disadvantaged South Africans are instead preventing investments that would substantially improve their educational and economic opportunities.