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Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two were martyred in an initial toll of the Israeli drone strike that targeted the al-Asira neighborhood in the city of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the al-Asira neighborhood east of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are the greatest resistance. Know that 'Israel' will fall because it embodies aggression, crime, and occupation; victory is truly yours
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: The value of what you are doing despite your wounds is immense, and here you are, treading the path of the Master of Nation's Martyrs and the leaders
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are moving forward with insight deeper than sight itself. The enemy sought to eliminate your role in the battle, yet you remain steadfast and continue the fight
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors one year later: You are healing from your wounds and rising above them. You have successfully passed the test
Palestinian media: Reports of stabbing operation in occupied al-Quds.
Israeli media: Sirens blare in Arava in South, near Ramon Airport.
Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouli: Egypt is targeted in plans to redraw regional map
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: Our presence in IAEA General Council and fact-checking helped in preventing unilateral rhetoric that aims to portray Iran as an unregulated country

Musk claims Starlink cannot operate in S. Africa because he's white

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 8 Mar 2025 09:00
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

The billionaire's claim was swiftly refuted by South African officials, who emphasized that Starlink is welcome in the country so long as it aligns with national laws.

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  • Elon Musk arrives before the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 (AP)
    Elon Musk arrives before the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Monday, January 20, 2025 (AP)

Billionaire and owner of X Elon Musk claimed on Friday that his Starlink internet service is not allowed in South Africa because he "is not black", a claim South African officials quickly rejected. 

Musk, who is South African, made his comments reacting to a podcast featuring South African businessman Rob Hersov, who claimed that “race-based laws in South Africa are all anti-white,” adding that Johannesburg has been “infected… with an evil woke mind virus.”

"Starlink is not allowed to operate in South Africa, because I’m not black,” Musk wrote on X, a claim South African diplomatic spokesperson quickly rejected saying “Sir, that’s NOT true and you know it! It’s got nothing to do with your skin color," emphasizing that Starlink is welcome in the country “provided there’s compliance with local laws.”

Starlink is not allowed to operate in South Africa, because I’m not black https://t.co/yOFafNValQ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 7, 2025

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South African regulations, designed to address racial inequalities from the Apartheid era, mandate that foreign telecom firms be at least 30% owned by historically disadvantaged groups, while Starlink, a subsidiary of Musk’s SpaceX, does not offer publicly traded shares.

Trump cuts aid from South Africa

The US State Department ordered an immediate halt to most foreign assistance to South Africa on March 7, implementing a controversial executive order by US President Donald Trump to cut South Africa aid, allegedly over its land policies, but was understood by many to have been brought on by its ICJ case against "Israel".

According to US government data, Johannesburg received around $440 million in financial assistance from Washington in 2023, which the new executive order cut, citing "unjust racial discrimination" against white Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers who established the apartheid regime and withheld basic rights from the Black majority until 1994.

The US administration's stance against South Africa is largely seen as influenced by Elon Musk, who has repeatedly condemned his birthplace, claiming that its apartheid reparation laws are "openly racist policies".

"South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY. It is a bad situation that the Radical Left Media doesn’t want to so much as mention. A massive Human Rights VIOLATION, at a minimum, is happening for all to see," Trump said on February 2 on his Truth Social Platform.

The South African President Cyril Ramaphosa quickly answered Trump, "We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest. We are certain that out of those engagements, we will share a better and common understanding over these matters."

  • United States
  • Racism
  • Apartheid
  • South Africa
  • Elon Musk
  • Starlink

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