Bishop’s Court, Cape Town — Errol Musk, father of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, has made striking claims about interactions between South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC, and his son concerning Starlink and election support.
Errol said that before South Africa’s last national elections, Ramaphosa sent a letter to Elon Musk requesting political support. According to Errol, the ANC initially wanted a 30% ownership stake in Starlink, later increasing it to 39%, and ultimately asked for a $100 million donation. “You’re talking to the wrong person when you’re saying that kind of thing to Elon Musk. That’s not the way you deal with Elon. Elon will stop the world from turning rather than give you what you want. It has to make sense to him,” Errol said, describing his son as “a bit of a robot” in his business dealings.
Errol also discussed Elon’s handling of Starlink in Ukraine. He claimed that when the American government requested Starlink access for Ukraine, Elon agreed but insisted on payment. When funds were delayed, Elon allegedly turned off the service, only restoring it after a $400 million settlement. He also said Starlink was cut off when Ukraine received cruise missiles intended to target the Russian fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea. “He switched off… that’s powerful. He said, ‘You’re not doing that,’” Errol said.
Despite the political tensions, Errol painted a favourable personal picture of Ramaphosa. He noted that Ramaphosa is a patient of his brother, a medical doctor, and described the president as “orite” and “a victim of the position he’s in; a victim of the circumstances.”
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