EFF
By Thabo Mosia
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has vowed to fight President Cyril Ramaphosa’s reported plan to offer regulatory assurances to Elon Musk’s Starlink, branding it a betrayal of South Africa’s sovereignty. In a statement on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo condemned the move, accusing Ramaphosa of bypassing Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws and compromising national interests to curry favour with U.S. President Donald Trump and Musk.
As Ramaphosa prepares for a high-stakes meeting with Trump in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, the controversy over Starlink and strained South Africa-U.S. relations has ignited a heated debate about trade, sovereignty, and transformation.
EFF’s Fierce Opposition to Starlink
The EFF’s statement, issued by Sinawo Thambo, pulls no punches in its critique of Ramaphosa’s alleged Starlink deal:
“The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) firmly condemns the reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to offer regulatory assurances to Elon Musk’s Starlink ahead of his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump this week.
This move is not only unconstitutional, but it also exposes Ramaphosa as willing to compromise on our sovereignty to massage the inflated ego of Elon Musk and Donald Trump.”
Thambo argued that Ramaphosa lacks the authority to unilaterally grant access to South Africa’s telecommunications sector, emphasizing that such decisions fall under Parliament’s legislative domain and independent regulators. The EFF sees the move as part of a broader pattern of Ramaphosa appeasing foreign interests, potentially at the cost of transformative laws like the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act, and the Expropriation Act.
The party’s concerns centre on Starlink’s potential to operate without adhering to BEE requirements, which mandate that foreign-owned telecommunications licensees sell 30% equity to historically disadvantaged groups. Thambo warned:
“We will oppose this Starlink deal in Parliament, in the courts, and in the streets if necessary. Our sovereignty is not for sale to billionaires, nor can it be bought with handshakes in backrooms.”
The EFF’s stance reflects its broader commitment to economic transformation and resistance to foreign influence, particularly from figures like Musk, whom they accuse of spreading falsehoods about a “genocide” in South Africa to gain market access.
Starlink’s Proposed Workaround
Reports indicate that South African officials are considering a workaround to BEE laws to allow Starlink, a satellite internet service owned by Musk’s SpaceX, to operate in the country. This follows a “last-minute” meeting planned for Tuesday night, 20 May 2025, between South African officials and Musk or his representatives.
The proposed workaround could involve “equity equivalent” investment programmes, allowing multinationals to invest in skills development, infrastructure, or small enterprises instead of selling equity.
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi previously outlined this approach in October 2024, stating:
“This will provide the certainty necessary to attract increased investment in ICT and accelerate universal internet access.”
Such programmes are already recognised in other sectors, but their application to telecommunications has sparked controversy, with critics like the EFF arguing they undermine transformation goals.
Starlink’s entry could bring high-speed internet to rural and underserved areas, potentially connecting 30% of South Africa’s population currently without reliable access, according to 2024 ICT sector data. However, the EFF warns that unregulated foreign infrastructure poses risks to local industry and national security.
Ramaphosa’s High-Stakes U.S. Visit
Ramaphosa arrived in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, for a critical meeting with Trump on Wednesday, accompanied by a high-powered delegation including Ministers Ronald Lamola (International Relations), Parks Tau (Trade), John Steenhuisen (Agriculture), and Khumbudzo Ntshavheni (Presidency). Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya outlined the visit’s objectives:
“The president is prepared for the moment. He’s looking forward to a very successful meeting aimed at resetting the relationship between South Africa and the United States.”
The meeting comes amid strained bilateral relations, exacerbated by Trump’s claims of a “genocide” against white Afrikaners and his February 2025 executive order granting refugee status to 59 white South Africans, including a group of 49 who arrived in the U.S. on 11 May 2025. Ramaphosa has firmly rejected these allegations, stating at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan on 12 May 2025:
“We all know, as South Africans, both black and white, that there is no genocide here. Every South African knows and agrees that there’s no genocide here. The false stories that have been perpetrated, are not true.”
The agenda includes trade, security, and diplomatic relations, with a focus on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which facilitates $20 billion in South African exports to the U.S., particularly in the automotive and agricultural sectors. Trump’s 30% tariff on South African goods, imposed and suspended for 90 days in March 2025, looms large, with Minister Ntshavheni asserting:
“There will be a deal. We will offer a package, and that package must be beneficial to South Africa.”
The G20 Summit, set for Johannesburg in November 2025, is another key issue, with Trump threatening not to attend unless South Africa addresses his “genocide” claims.
Ntshavheni dismissed reports of a U.S. ban on G20 engagement, stating:
“We have not received any information from the US administration about such a ban, we are reading it from the media like everybody else.”
ANC’s Support and Domestic Backlash
The African National Congress (ANC) has thrown its weight behind Ramaphosa’s visit, with Secretary General Fikile Mbalula emphasizing the U.S. as South Africa’s second-largest trading partner. Speaking on 13 May 2025, Mbalula condemned the refugee status granted to Afrikaners:
“Let it be categorically stated: there are no Afrikaner refugees in South Africa. No section of our society is hounded, persecuted or subject to ethnic victimisation. These claims are a fabrication and a cowardly political construct designed to delegitimise our democracy.”
Mbalula, addressing the media during a condolence visit for the late ANC Women’s League Deputy President Lungi Gcabashe, also expressed outrage over the Omotoso case, aligning the ANC with gender justice advocates. He underscored the visit’s economic importance:
“The United States of America is the second largest trading partner of South Africa and we are in full support of the working visit by President Ramaphosa to go and engage with President Trump.”
However, domestic criticism is mounting. The United Democratic Movement (UDM) and Cosatu have joined the EFF in condemning the Afrikaner refugee narrative.
UDM’s Nqabayomzi Kwankwa called the group’s departure a flight from “a South Africa that strives for justice and inclusivity,” while Cosatu’s Matthew Parks clarified:
“There are no such things as South African refugees. They have the right to go, but they are not refugees. We hope they’ll represent South Africa well.”
The Episcopal Church’s refusal to resettle the Afrikaners, citing racial justice concerns, has further highlighted international skepticism, with presiding bishop Sean W. Rowe stating:
“It has been painful to watch one group of refugees, selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment over many others who have been waiting in refugee camps or dangerous conditions for years.”
The Afrikaner Refugee Controversy
The arrival of 49 Afrikaners at Dulles Airport on 11 May 2025, greeted by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, has fueled tensions. Landau claimed the group shared “harrowing” tales of violence, but South African officials, backed by crime data, argue that farm murders (49 in 2023, less than 1% of 27,000 annual homicides) do not indicate targeted persecution. Minister Ronald Lamola noted:
“The crime that we have in South Africa affects everyone irrespective of race and gender.”
Theo de Jager, chair of the Southern African Agri Initiative, clarified that most Afrikaner farmers are not leaving, with only a small fraction of 1,000 inquiries involving actual farmers. He dismissed genocide claims but highlighted safety concerns:
“We maintain that there is no genocide, but there’s a massive problem with safety on farms and with farm murders, and we expect government to do more about it.”
The Expropriation Act, signed in January 2025, has been misrepresented as enabling widespread land grabs. No land has been seized, and the Act requires judicial oversight, aligning with constitutional mandates to address apartheid-era land disparities, where 73% of farmland remains white-owned.
Musk’s Role and Broader Implications
Elon Musk’s influence, particularly his March 2025 X post alleging ANC promotion of “white genocide,” has amplified the narrative. The EFF’s Thambo singled out Musk:
“Starlink represents a threat to local industry and national security as it is owned by an individual who has peddled lies about a genocide in South Africa in an attempt to leverage preferential and unregulated access to our market.”
Ramaphosa’s team met Musk to counter misinformation, but no meeting is confirmed for this visit. The controversy has also drawn attention to South Africa’s foreign policy, including its ICJ case against Israel, which Trump opposes, and its ties with Iran and Hamas, further complicating bilateral relations.
Trade and Economic Stakes
South Africa’s $14 billion trade surplus with the U.S., driven by AGOA, supports 120,000 jobs, particularly in automotive and agriculture. Minister John Steenhuisen, part of the Government of National Unity (GNU) delegation, emphasized:
“Preferential trade agreements such as AGOA contribute significantly to our economy. Losing these benefits would be disastrous for farmers, farm workers, and the economy at large.”
Cosatu’s Matthew Parks expressed optimism about a trade reset:
“We are convinced it can be done in a way which protects South Africa’s sovereignty and creates more jobs for South African workers.”
However, the EFF’s threat of legal action and mass mobilisation signals potential domestic unrest if the Starlink deal proceeds without BEE compliance.
A Path Forward
As Ramaphosa navigates this diplomatic tightrope, his approach—described by Ntshavheni as “not being bullied”—aims to balance sovereignty with economic pragmatism. The meeting with Trump, while unlikely to resolve all issues, could set the stage for a new trade framework, as Magwenya noted:
“If the Trump administration has decided to do away with AGOA, we will then be ready to table an outline of what will be a new trade relationship framework.”
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