By Anita Dangazele
- Communications Minister Solly Malatsi must explain in writing, by Monday, every contact he has had with Resolve Communications or Starlink.
- Parliament’s committee chair Khusela Diko wants the full record behind a policy change that could benefit Starlink’s licence bid.
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has three days left to explain himself to Parliament in writing.
Khusela Diko, who chairs the communications and digital technologies committee, has given Malatsi until Monday, 6 July, to disclose every meeting and communication his office has had with lobbying firm Resolve Communications, or with Elon Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, since he took office in 2024. She also wants the full record behind a policy change Malatsi has pushed since October 2024, one that would let telecoms firms avoid the legal requirement to give 30% ownership to historically disadvantaged South Africans. Starlink has refused to meet that requirement and stands to benefit if the change goes through.
The demand follows claims by former DA leader John Steenhuisen, sacked last week as agriculture minister, that Resolve Communications arranged a meeting between Malatsi and Starlink representatives. Steenhuisen said the meeting turned into a complaint session about Malatsi moving too slowly.
Resolve Communications is chaired by former DA leader Tony Leon and run by former DA chief executive Paul Boughey. Leon has denied any wrongdoing and rejected comparisons to state capture. DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has also dismissed calls for an investigation, saying meeting lobby groups is normal government business.
The ANC’s study group on communications wants the matter referred to the Public Protector to check whether Malatsi breached the government’s ethics code.
Monday’s deadline will show whether Malatsi discloses the contact Diko is asking about, and whether that changes anything for South Africans still waiting to find out if Starlink is coming to the country at all.
Pictured above: Communications Minister has until Monday to explain himself to Parliament.
Image source: Department of Communications and Digital Technologies
