The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has blamed the ANC and DA for the unauthorised operation of Elon Musk’s satellite broadband service Starlink in the country.
This is after SpaceX confirmed to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) that Starlink services in South Africa have been provided through ICASAsePush.
“This situation highlights a troubling reality: our regulatory systems, particularly the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), have once again failed to safeguard the interests of our people,” according to ATM spokesperson Zama Ntshona.
Foreign capitalist agenda
ATM believes that the two parties are enabling “foreign capitalist agenda” which prioritises profit “over the welfare of our citizens”. They are calling for the immediate banning of Starlink because it undermines the laws of the country. The party also takes issue with Icasa’s failure to detect and prevent illegal activities of this nature.
“We urge Icasa to enforce the law rigorously and hold Starlink accountable for its illegal operations. It is imperative that the government protect our national interests and ensure that all telecommunications services operate in accordance with South African law,” according Ntshona.
This comes after Icasa’s confirmation that it would be probing the unlawful use and provision of Starlink services in South Africa. If found guilty, the company could face enforcement actions, including fines or even a ban on its operations in the country.
Starlink equipment
So far, authorities have confiscated equipment from ICASAsePush, a company in the Northern Cape that was distributing Starlink technology.
Icasa chairperson Mothibi Ramusi has officially written to SpaceX, looking for answers regarding the matter.
“Upon hearing all these issues, we actually went out on an investigation in the Northern Cape. We confiscated equipment which related to SpaceX, the company that owns Starlink,” Ramusi said in an interview with NewzroomAfrika.
