‘Some people call it a bromance,’ says Ramaphosa after meeting with Elon Musk

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently met with Elon Musk, the South African-born billionaire, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The president described their relationship as a “bromance,” aiming to rekindle Musk’s connection with his home country, South Africa.

“When I came to New York, I said, ‘I’d like to meet him’. It’s a full process.

“Some people call it a bromance. It’s a whole process of rekindling his affection and connection with South Africa. Of course, it can be a love affair. It can be an investment relationship,” said Ramaphosa in an interview with the SABC News this week.

Their discussions centred around potential investments in various sectors, including telecommunications and the automotive industry, with a focus on Musk’s companies, SpaceX and Tesla.

Specifically, Ramaphosa said that although nothing had been set in stone yet, he and Musk had spoken about introducing Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service, to South Africa.

“He is a top-layer business person who is very entrepreneurial and [I] would like to interest him more in South Africa in a variety of areas. And he’s already looking at our country with some interest in a number of sectors. For instance in telecoms and the auto industry,” he said.

Although Starlink is already available in neighbouring countries, its launch in South Africa has been delayed due to regulatory hurdles.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on his meeting with Elon Musk earlier this week in New York #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/RTP9gr4owP

— Sherwin Bryce-Pease (@sherwiebp) September 26, 2024

Ramaphosa invites Elon to SA for a ‘tour or whatever’

Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of creating a conducive environment for investors like Musk, highlighting South Africa’s potential as a hub for technological advancement in Africa.

The president also extended an invitation for Musk to visit South Africa, noting his frequent trips to China, where Tesla has established a significant presence.

“He’s South African-born and South Africa is his home, as it were. I’d like to see him come to South Africa for a visit or a tour or whatever,” Ramaphosa said.

Despite Musk’s controversial reputation, particularly his involvement in the US election and support for former President Donald Trump, Ramaphosa remained optimistic about the prospects of Musk’s investment in South Africa.

“Our discussions are at their sort of embryonic level on a number of issues. We hope to see some progress going forward.”

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