The Independent
·Jul 2026
Jeff Bezos’ Amazon is taking on Elon Musk on his home turf
Amazon plans to launch its satellite internet service Amazon Leo in South Africa by 2027 through a partnership with Herotel, marking its first such agreement in Africa. The move positions Amazon to compete directly with Elon Musk’s Starlink, which has not entered the South African market due to Musk’s refusal to comply with the country’s affirmative action ownership requirements. The South African government has endorsed Amazon’s deal, contrasting its stalled relationship with Starlink. Amazon aims to expand further across Africa while Starlink continues to maintain a larger global satellite presence.