SA-Starlink deal reportedly on the table ahead of Ramaphosa's meeting with Donald Trump
A much-anticipated meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and the US President is scheduled for Wednesday, and now apparently Elon Musk's Starlink is also in the mix.
President Cyril Ramaphosa arrives in Washington on Monday, 19 May 2025, ahead of a meeting with his counterpart US President Donald Trump. Picture: Elmond Jiyane/GCIS
The Money Show's Stephen Grootes talks to Eyewitness News associate politics editor Tshidi Madia, who is in Washington D.C.
Anticipation is building ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa's meeting on Wednesday with US leader Donald Trump in the White House.
Ramaphosa has arrived in Washington D.C. where he'll be getting a briefing from his ministers ahead of the all-important, meeting reports EWN politics editor Tshidi Madia who's in the US capital.
The Presidency has described the aim of the visit as one 'to reset and revitalise' relations' between South Africa and the US, with a specific focus on reframing bilateral, economic and commercial relations.
To add to the mix of of contentious issues hanging over the two administrations, Bloomberg News has reported that South Africa is ready to offer Elon Musk a Starlink deal ahead of the presidential meeting.
RELATED: Ramaphosa assures SA's sovereignty will remain intact ahead of Trump meeting
It says Pretoria plans to offer a workaround of local black ownership laws, which would be a sticking point around the internet service getting a licence to operate in South Africa.
Musk's satellite internet constellation provides broadband coverage to over 100 countries, but not here at home.
Under normal circumstances that business deal and Musk's concerns should not be part of what two heads of state discuss, but this situation is anything but normal, Madia remarks.
"We're dealing with an administration where even the State Department is genuinely confused about what direction they'll take and the thinking behind some of the decisions around this very country, so nothing is normal."
Tshidi Madia, Associate Politics Editor - Eyewitness News
"South Africans are definitely hyped up about what Wednesday brings, and I think the Elon Musk question could not be avoided - he's always been a factor in the disinformation (around SA), so he'll be a factor I suppose this time around too."
Tshidi Madia, Associate Politics Editor - Eyewitness News
While Ramaphosa could well be seen as the personification of everything the US President has been campaigning against (read DEI or diversity, equity, and inclusion), there could be some commonalities counting in his favour, says Madia.
"Ramaphosa is also this billionaire, seen as a deals man and a negotiator and kind of fancies himself as a big business-savvy individual... so supposedly they'll meet each other at that level. They also have golf in common and supposedly they'll find one another where they share some commonalities."
Tshidi Madia, Associate Politics Editor - Eyewitness News
Madia also says she's sensed a positive swing in the mood among Team South Africa in Washington.
"Yesterday I felt some anxiety in the air, but I just came from the South African embassy where Ramaphosa is apparently being briefed and he was calm and quite jovial. He sounded excited ahead of tomorrow, almost confident that the meeting is going to go well."
Tshidi Madia, Associate Politics Editor - Eyewitness News
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the update from Washington D.C.