ANC denies easing B-BBEE rules for Musk, calls Trump's 'white genocide' claims 'a comedy'

AFRICAN National Congress (ANC) first deputy-secretary Nomvula Mokonyane has dismissed claims that a proposed policy to ease Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) requirements for satellite communication licences was designed to benefit South African-born billionaire Elon Musk.

“South Africa cannot create laws specifically for Elon Musk,” Mokonyane said on Saturday in an interview with the SABC.

On Friday, it was reported that less than two days after a tense White House meeting allegedly facilitated by South African billionaire Johann Rupert, Starlink appears to be facing new regulatory easing in South Africa. 

The meeting, which was attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Trump, involved Rupert urging officials to fast-track Starlink’s launch, citing economic stagnation and rising crime.

“We need Starlink in South Africa,” Rupert said, emphasising the importance of technological advancement for the country's future.

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA), gazetted the policy direction on the role of investment programmes (EElPs) in the ICT sector, saying they are tools to accelerate broadband access.

Mend strained relations

Mokonyane emphasised that the meeting was intended to mend strained relations between the two countries and had achieved its goal.

“We emphasised continuously that we believe in proper diplomatic communication, and this has happened."

According to her, Ramaphosa was invited by Trump, and the two leaders engaged in discussions alongside their respective delegates.

“And of importance, the President was not chased away, the President didn't walk away," Mokonyane said.

"He, together with the delegation, affirmed the issues that - even if President Trump himself was misleading the world about [white genocide] - it was totally disinformation ... The showing off of pictures and information that has got nothing to do with South Africa, that has got nothing to do with redress, that has got nothing to do with racism."

She described the closed-door talks as productive, adding that discussions around Trump’s participation in the upcoming G20 are ongoing and that Minister of Trade and Industry Parks Tau is continuing related negotiations.

'It was just a comedy'

Mokonyane has also vehemently rejected Trump’s repeated claims of “white genocide” in South Africa.

“If it's genocide, we've got the courts of the world and those matters must be filed. But we know it was just a comedy, nothing that has to do with South Africa, nothing that has to do with white farmers in South Africa.”

This comes after Trump ambushed Ramaphosa during a tense exchange with a series of contested claims about the killing of white farmers in South Africa, referring to it as white genocide. 

Trump asked for a montage of video clips to be played, which showed Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema chanting “Kill the Boer” and footage that showed rows of crosses, which Trump said were the graves of white people.

"People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety. Their land is being confiscated, and in many cases, they're being killed," Trump said. 

Responding to the footage, Ramaphosa asked Trump if he knew where this was, saying he had never seen it before. Trump insisted it was in South Africa.

'Nothing to do with Elon Musk'

Meanwhile, when asked if ANC officials had received feedback from the US visit suggesting Musk was involved in the discussions, Mokonyane dismissed the idea.

“We have the privilege of having the President, who is the president of the ANC, and the Minister of International Relations, who actually acted like a diplomat, who has also confirmed that what happened behind closed doors had nothing to do with Elon Musk, had nothing to do with Starlink. In fact, it was never a matter in those deliberations,” she said.

Mokonyane also rejected speculation that the recent policy direction was aimed at helping Musk secure a license.

“South Africa cannot create laws specifically for Elon Musk. We know that even with the World Cup, the amendment of the legal framework had to do with what is good for South Africa,” she said.

She added that Parliament must now play its role.

“We should actually allow a situation where the Portfolio Committee, as it has committed, must actually summon the Minister and let the Minister come and account and explain himself. Because there is also a misunderstanding of what his powers are,” Mokonyane added.

The EFF, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK Party) and the ANC Youth League have rejected a gazetted policy proposal to ease B-BBEE requirements for the licensing of satellite communication services, such as Musk’s Starlink.