Parliament gives Malatsi until 6 July to answer questions about Starlink and Resolve Communications meetings

Parliament has asked Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi to provide a written explanation by Monday, 6 July 2026, about media reports that link him to meetings involving Resolve Communications and the satellite internet company Starlink. The request was made by Khusela Diko, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, after recent allegations surfaced in the media.

Parliament’s request

Diko said the committee wants a comprehensive written response from Malatsi, together with any supporting documentation, on the matters raised in the reports. She framed the allegations as serious because they “raise questions regarding the propriety of engagements between public office bearers and private interests in matters that may relate to policy development, regulatory processes, and executive decision-making.”

Diko warned that,

“At face value, these allegations invoke concerning historical precedents in our country, where private interests sought to direct government policy and executive decisions during the State Capture era,”

and said the portfolio committee must satisfy itself that all engagements involving Malatsi were conducted in line with constitutional principles of transparency, accountability and good governance.

Allegations and recent reporting

The committee’s request follows media reports citing former DA leader John Steenhuisen, who told News24 that Resolve Communications facilitated meetings between DA ministers and its private-sector clients, including Starlink. Steenhuisen’s remarks named ministers he said were approached by Resolve Communications.

ActionSA lodged a complaint with the Office of the Public Protector on Thursday and said it would submit parliamentary questions to all DA ministers and deputy ministers about their engagements with Resolve Communications. ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont described the allegations as “explosive” and said they include claims that Resolve Communications brokered meetings between its clients and several GNU ministers.

Responses from Resolve Communications and DA figures

Tony Leon, executive chairman of Resolve Communications, has dismissed the claims as politically motivated and without evidence. The source records Leon as saying Resolve Communications was “a convenient external explanation for difficulties that are, in truth, internal and political” within the DA.

The reporting also notes that Leon and DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis have characterised the alleged activities as lobbying.

What happens next

Diko said the committee will consider Malatsi’s written response in determining any appropriate next steps. ActionSA has asked the Public Protector to investigate Resolve Communications’ interactions with GNU ministers and any corresponding decisions or actions taken by those ministers.

The committee’s deadline for Malatsi’s detailed response and supporting documentation is Monday, 6 July 2026, after which the committee will decide how to proceed.