Dear Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies,

A deal is in the works to allow the United States to build Starlink satellite technology in the country. The deal would open multiple flaws and threats to South Africa, detailed below.

1. A route for hacking and security exploits. According to Wired magazine, it is possible to hack their satellite dishes with as little as 500 Rand. It would be tremendously simple to wire sensitive data directly to the United States. Additionally, the government agency Musk operates in the United States is known to have leaked information to other countries, making him an untrustworthy actor.

2. It would not even address the lack of rural broadband. Most of Starlink's customers are Musk-aligned individuals and those who can afford around 600 USD initial setup + an extra ~275 USD monthly cost. This is untenable for the rural South African median income.

3. A route for extortion. Starlink is known to have extorted Ukraine during the Russo-Ukraine war by threatening to pull the service.

It would be a grave risk to South African national security should Starlink be allowed to operate, and we urge you to take all legal measures to block any deals that would be made.