Elon Musk slates South Africa’s ‘anti-white’ race laws

Elon Musk has again taken aim at South Africa, saying the country is blocking his Starlink internet service because he is not black — an “absurd” situation, he argues, that exposes what he calls racist laws in the country.

Musk has said, “South Africa has now passed 142 laws forcing discrimination against anyone who is not black,” which the government has denied.

“This is not ok,” he said in a post on X on Thursday, January 8, 2025, in the latest of his repeated criticism of South Africa’s race laws.

Starlink has been politically divisive since it was revealed that SpaceX had deprioritised its South African launch due to the country’s equity ownership requirements for telecommunications licensing.

Musk has consistently questioned Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies and other race-based laws in South Africa.

He posted that these laws institutionalise racism against whites and Asians and consentingly claimed that there were “more race laws now than under Apartheid.”

The issue stems from non-compliance with BEE requirements mandating 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged (Black) South Africans for telecom firms.

He frames these laws and regulations as discriminatory against non-black individuals, including those who were born and live in the country.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has also stated that Starlink has not formally applied for a license to operate in the country.

In late 2025, the government proposed easing these rules for foreign satellite providers like Starlink.

This will allow equity equivalents instead of strict black ownership requirements. However, the ANC and Black Business Council were not in favour of this plan.

There are no race laws in South Africa, says the government

The South African government stated that there are no race laws in the country, despite what organisations like Afriforum and the Free Market Foundation said.

The government’s primary argument is that a law is only a “race law” if its intent is to oppress or segregate.

The South African government defends its policies, like BEE and employment equity, as “necessary measures for redress and transformation,” aiming to dismantle apartheid’s legacy of systemic disadvantage.

They argue that this is by ‘promoting inclusion, not creating racial division,’ and framing them within the Constitution’s commitment to equality.

Though, critics argue they constitute new forms of racial regulation, leading to debate over implementation and impact. 

Martin van Staden, head of policy at the Free Market Foundation, dismissed this argument, saying race laws discourage investment and cost the country billions.

He highlighted that race laws do not cease racial considerations in commercial decision-making just because they are called “transformation” and “redress” laws.

Simply put, the intention of the law, although positive, can have severely negative consequences on South Africa’s economy.

Trade union Solidarity argues that South Africa is paying the price for a racial ideology that only benefits the elite with political connections and friendships.

“Race laws have become vehicles for corruption, which has led to total disorder and decay that has drained South Africa,” it said.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has recently proposed the “Economic Inclusion for All Bill” as an alternative to the BEE Act.

This new proposal shifts focus from race to poverty and tangible development in public procurement.

According to the party, it aims to reward job creation, skills development, and community investment, rather than relying on political connections.

However, the ANC has gone on record as to say that it would “never” support any calls to scrap or replace BEE, saying that those who do not support BEE “prefer white supremacy.”

Some GNU partners don’t like BEE because they prefer white supremacy – Gwede Mantashe