Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi has defended his engagements with Starlink and public affairs firm Resolve Communications, owned by former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Tony Leon.
He says his policy position on satellite operators was established long before any meetings took place. This follows allegations of undue influence against Malatsi after an interview with former DA leader John Steenhuisen, in which he claimed that Resolve facilitated meetings between DA ministers and private clients, including Starlink.
Malatsi has responded to the allegations in a letter to the Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee where says his engagement with Starlink was neither unique nor secretive.
“When the government of national unity started putting together the Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) framework which is the aspirational document for what this administration seeks to achieve, the full recognition of equity equivalent investment in the ICT sector was already a submission that we had made as the department.”
“As I say in my letter we indicate that the work into my ministry’s submission into the work of the MTDP process started in earnest in July, way before I even met with Starlink which happened in September,” Malatsi adds.
VIDEO | Malatsi responds to Starlink influence allegations:
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