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Ramaphosa Engages Elon Musk After Trump’s Funding Threat
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held a phone conversation with billionaire Elon Musk on Monday evening after Musk accused the post-apartheid government of anti-white racism.
The call followed an announcement by former US President Donald Trump that he would cut over US$400 million in funding to South Africa.
According to Errol Musk, Elon’s father, the conversation was arranged after Bejani Chauke, an adviser to Ramaphosa, reached out to him. Errol Musk, who resides in Langebaan, confirmed he facilitated the call and briefly displayed WhatsApp messages as evidence. However, Chauke did not respond to enquiries regarding his role, and Ramaphosa’s office merely confirmed the discussion took place.
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The issue escalated after Trump claimed on Sunday, without providing evidence, that South Africa was “confiscating land” and mistreating “certain classes of people.” His remarks triggered a nearly 2% drop in South Africa’s rand and declines in stocks and government bonds, as concerns about the economic implications spread.
Trump’s comments referred to a bill signed by Ramaphosa last month aimed at addressing racial disparities in land ownership.
The law permits land expropriation “in the public interest” under specific conditions. While South Africa has long struggled to meet its land redistribution targets, the policy remains a point of contention, particularly among white landowners who control the vast majority of the country’s farmland.
Elon Musk echoed Trump’s concerns, accusing South Africa of enforcing “openly racist ownership laws” in a post on X. His father, Errol Musk, defended Trump’s stance, questioning why American taxpayers should fund South African programs, including HIV/AIDS treatment. The United States allocated $440 million in aid to South Africa in 2023, with $315 million directed towards HIV/AIDS initiatives.
Ramaphosa responded to Trump’s claims, insisting that no land had been confiscated and expressing a willingness to engage with the former US president to clarify the policy’s objectives. Meanwhile, Errol Musk suggested that his son’s conversation with Ramaphosa likely centred on urging the government to reconsider its stance on land reform, warning against a repeat of Zimbabwe’s economic collapse following its controversial land seizures in the 2000s.
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