Errol Musk, father of billionaire Elon Musk, facilitated a call between his son and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday after Trump accused South Africa of land seizures and threatened to cut $400 million in U.S. aid.
Elon Musk and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke on Monday after Trump claimed South Africa was "confiscating land" and mistreating "certain classes of people," a statement that triggered market concerns and sent the South African rand into decline.
The conversation was facilitated by Musk’s father, Errol Musk, who revealed that he was contacted by a senior aide to Ramaphosa while dining at a restaurant. "I was asked if I could arrange a quick talk between Ramaphosa and Elon, so I did," Musk senior told Reuters, showing messages from the presidential aide as evidence.
Errol Musk speculated that his son likely urged Ramaphosa to reconsider land ownership laws, stating: "I can only imagine that Elon would have said, ‘We want to help you, but you have to quit this war on white people in South Africa.’"
The dispute stems from South Africa’s new land reform law, which allows the government to expropriate land "in the public interest," in some cases without compensation. Critics, including Musk, argue that the policy unfairly targets white landowners, though the South African government denies this, insisting it is part of a broader economic reform strategy.
Trump’s statement, made on his platform Truth Social, led to a 2% drop in the South African rand and fears over the potential loss of U.S. financial aid, much of which supports HIV/AIDS treatment programmes.
Ramaphosa later confirmed his discussion with Musk but did not comment on its details. Meanwhile, his office dismissed Errol Musk’s remarks as "personal opinions" that do not reflect government policy.
The situation remains tense as South Africa seeks to maintain international funding while addressing historic land inequalities.
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