JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s government plans to intensify discussions with billionaire Elon Musk about investing in his country of birth.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently said he had a call with the world’s richest man after Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service, approached the government about securing regulatory approval.
The president is looking forward to more talks with Musk as the government cranks up its efforts to attract investment, Ramaphosa’s spokesman Vincent Magwenya told Semafor Africa. “The chat was not only about Starlink, it also covered a broader set of investments that could include Tesla and Space X,” said Magwenya.
Starlink delivers broadband internet from a network of more than 5,000 satellites deployed by sister company SpaceX. It currently operates in more than a dozen African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, and Botswana. But it has failed to secure regulatory approval in a number of countries, including South Africa.
Ramaphosa, addressing reporters in Pretoria last week, said he told Musk: “I want you to come home and invest here.” The president added that he and Musk “are going to have a further discussion.”
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