SA SPACE INDUSTRY: DRAFT REGULATORY BILL OUT FOR COMMENT

SA SPACE INDUSTRY: DRAFT REGULATORY BILL OUT FOR COMMENT

• 30 October 2026
• Trade, Industry & Competition
• SA Legal Academy

The Department of Trade, Industry & Competition gazetted and has called for input on a draft South African Space Regulatory Bill. The deadline for comments is by 29 December 2026.

Once finalised, processed by Parliament, enacted and operationalised, the proposed new piece of legislation will repeal and replace the 1993 Spare Affairs Act. With that in mind, the draft Bill seeks to provide for:

• the establishment of:
  • a South African space regulatory authority, and
  • a national office for outer space activities
• the ‘authorisation of space activities’
• the ‘registration of space objects and space activities’
• ‘liability for damage and … insurance for authorised activities’
• the appointment of:
  • safety inspectors, and
  • investigators
• safety inspections
• the investigation of accidents, incidents and potential emergencies, and for
• offences and penalties.

The term ‘space activity’ is defined in the draft Bill as referring to:

• ‘the launching of space objects, including … suborbital trajectory launching’
• ‘the operation and control of space objects in orbit, including re-entry’
• operating:
  • a ‘space launch facility’
  • a ‘space facility’, and/or
  • a ‘space launch vehicle’
• manufacturing a ‘space object’
• utilising ‘space applications’, and
• outer space ‘exploration and exploitation’.

According to SpaceHubs Africa, South Africa operates has satellites and operates 16 ground stations.

• draft Bill
• 1993 Act (updated, SAFLII) (to be repealed)
• SpaceHubs Africa

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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