Technology

Alistair Fairweather

Way back in 2013, South Africa's government boldly proclaimed that “broadband should become a universal service, much like electricity and water”. More than a decade later, after two rounds of watering down our targets, we are creeping towards 80% coverage. Meanwhile an obvious fix in the shape of Starlink is conspicuously absent from our national plans.

It has over six million customers around the world, and is growing quickly. The service delivers download speeds of between 50 and 250 Mbps, which is roughly equivalent to a mid-level fibre connection. Starlink has recently been folded into SpaceX as part of its absurdly large IPO – a fact that may have some significance. On June 11, responding to questions from Parliament, communications minister Solly Malatsi confirmed that Starlink has not applied for any of the three licences it would need to officially operate in South Africa.