Govt denies Starlink deal in the pipeline

By Simon Nare

Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has shot down suggestions the government had long considered Starlink for satellite operations licensing before a delegation led by President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the US for bilateral talks.

Ntshavheni told reporters at a post-Cabinet meeting briefing in Cape Town on Thursday that Starlink was not even in discussions when the delegation met US President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss amongst others the contentions matter of white genocide.

The minister said she must have been misheard when she said the government started discussions around the issue of satellites as far back as 2002 while she was still minister of communications.

“By the way, Starlink is not the first satellite technology out there. There are a number of satellite technology out there and in this country. We must be very clear about that,” she said.

Ntshavheni said she might have