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Solidarity states that pressure against South Africa’s race-based policies, such as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), is increasing rapidly – not only domestically, but also internationally – and that the realities of these policies are increasingly being exposed.
 
This development follows after South African-born entrepreneur Elon Musk once again made headlines with a post on X in which he pointed out that his company, Starlink, is not being licensed in South Africa due to race-based requirements.
 
Musk claims that he has repeatedly been approached with bribery proposals suggesting that he could pretend that Starlink South Africa is managed by a black individual, but that he rejected these on principle.
 
According to Dr Dirk Hermann, Chief Executive of Solidarity, this type of international reaction is not coincidental, but necessary.
 
“What we have been seeing for some time now is that South Africa’s race policy is no longer only being debated domestically. It is being questioned internationally, and this is beginning to directly affect investment, economic growth, and the country’s reputation,” says Hermann.
 
He points out that local resistance is simultaneously gaining momentum.
 
“Legal action by Solidarity and other organisations against workplace targets shows that resistance is already deeply rooted. What is now happening is that domestic and international pressure are beginning to converge – and this is changing the playing field.”
 
Solidarity warns that the South African government’s continued resistance to Starlink is not merely an abstract policy issue, but an actual cost to millions of South Africans, particularly in rural and remote areas.
 
While large parts of Africa already have access to high-speed internet, communities outside South Africa’s urban centres remain dependent on expensive mobile data or smaller service providers that often rely on outdated and costly technology.
 
Hermann emphasises that access to the internet is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.
 
“South Africa is a vast country with many communities that still do not have adequate access to the internet. This effectively excludes them from the modern economy.
 
“Starlink offers a simple, cost-effective solution for these communities, yet the government refuses to allow this solution purely because it is clinging to its race-based ideology,” says Hermann.
 
According to Hermann, the situation is both ironic and unsustainable.
 
“It is simply illogical, in the name of so-called empowerment, to prevent these – predominantly black – communities from accessing the latest technology.
 
“Many households cannot afford expensive mobile data, and in many cases, there is not even reliable network coverage.
 
“BEE is therefore increasingly being exposed as a system that primarily benefits a black political elite,” says Hermann.
 
Solidarity says the growing public response is further intensifying the pressure.
 
“The public is no longer remaining silent. We have called on the public to report job advertisements that include race requirements, as no law requires race to be specified in such adverts.
 
“Since then, we have received numerous emails. This shows that people are no longer accepting these practices as normal – they are actively questioning and exposing them,” says Hermann.
 
According to him, this also points to a deeper shift in public thinking.
 
“There is a growing realisation that race-based policy is not only a moral issue, but also a practical one that affects the economy and service delivery.
 
“We also see this in the debate around BEE. Analysts such as William Gumede have pointed out that BEE has, in many cases, degenerated into mismanagement, corruption, and the misallocation of capital.
 
“This confirms that the problem is not only ideological in nature – it has real, measurable consequences.”
 
According to Hermann, the combination of these factors is placing the government under increasing pressure.
 
“South Africa cannot afford to keep the majority of its population in economic darkness for the sake of policies that do not work.
 
“When investors pull back, entrepreneurs speak out, and ordinary people begin to push back, reality starts to set in.”
 
He calls on employers not to wait for policy change, but to act proactively.
 
“Employers do not need to wait. They can start today by putting merit first.
 
“The question is no longer whether this system is under pressure; the question is how long it can still hold,” says Hermann.

Issued by Solidarity