Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has informed Parliament that Resolve Communications, a public relations firm chaired by former DA leader Tony Leon, contacted his office on two separate occasions since he assumed office.

In a letter to the chairperson of Parliament's portfolio committee on communications, Khusela Sangoni-Diko, Malatsi explained that the engagements were unrelated to Starlink and rejected allegations that the firm facilitated his meeting with representatives of the satellite internet provider.

According to the minister, his September 2024 meeting with Ryan Goodnight of SpaceX, Starlink's parent company, was arranged directly between his office and Robert Appelbaum and formed part of wider discussions with several organisations involved in low Earth orbit satellite technology.

Malatsi said he has also met representatives from MzansiSat, Amazon Leo, China Satellite Network Company, Spacesail, Space24 and other stakeholders to better understand broadband connectivity opportunities.

He further dismissed claims that private interests influenced government policy on equity-equivalent investment programmes, stating that the policy was already included in the DA's 2024 election manifesto and the Government of National Unity's medium-term development plan before any engagement with Starlink.

Malatsi disclosed that Resolve's first approach, in November 2024, concerned concerns raised by Premium Ideas SA about alleged non-compliance with Rica and the distribution of improperly registered SIM cards.The second approach, in June 2025, related to Hot 102.7 FM's licence amendment application to Icasa, but a planned meeting was cancelled after the matter was referred to the regulator.

The disclosures come as Resolve Communications faces increased scrutiny over allegations that it used politically connected individuals to gain access to senior government decision-makers, allegations that Tony Leon has denied.