Ramaphosa/Musk ‘Bromance’ confirmed in NY footage
South Africa's GCIS has released footage of an extremely friendly engagement in New York between President Cyril Ramaphosa and the world's richest man, SA-born-and-bred super entrepreneur Elon Musk. BizNews UK correspondent Linda van Tilburg has been following the story and explaining its significance. She spoke to BizNews editor Alec Hogg.
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Extended transcript of the interview ___STEADY_PAYWALL___
Alec Hogg
Well, it's a public holiday in South Africa, but our Linda van Tilburg, who's based in the UK, is working today. You've come across a really cool story, Linda – a bromance of note! And it's not Elon Musk and Donald Trump this time, but Cyril Ramaphosa has met the richest man in the world. Just give us some background on what's going on there.
Linda van Tilburg
Well, Cyril Ramaphosa is leading a delegation of dignitaries, including ministers. In the footage, we see our Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola. They're attending the United Nations General Assembly, where Ramaphosa will be addressing the Assembly. His visit to New York continues until the 30th of September, with various meetings planned, including this big speech by Ramaphosa. What's interesting is that he met with Elon Musk, the world's richest man.
Now, as you know, Musk's history with South Africa is a bit checkered. At one stage, he was giving money to his old school, Pretoria Boys High, but he didn't fully engage with the country. More recently, we've also heard about his mother, Maye Musk, being involved in South Africa and helping to fund a grant at the University of the Free State.
This new bromance with Elon Musk is fascinating. They seem very at ease with each other in the footage, talking about a visit to China. Ramaphosa even says, "Thanks for coming up to my room," which suggests it might have been an impromptu meeting. It took place in his hotel room, with everyone, including Lamola and Vincent Magwenya (Ramaphosa's spokesperson), jumping into the pictures. South Africans will be watching to see if there are any developments, especially regarding Starlink. Can we get Starlink? It's also interesting to note how much more relaxed Ramaphosa appears now compared to before.
Alec Hogg
It's a wonderful development from a South African perspective. Not long ago, we ran a piece where Cyril mentioned that he wanted Elon to come back to South Africa – not to live, but to invest in the country. Starlink, which is part of Musk's SpaceX operation, wasn't willing to operate in South Africa due to the 30% BEE regulations. However, it seems the benefits of this incredible product are now outweighing those regulations. So, there's progress on that front too.
But as you mentioned, Ramaphosa seems more relaxed now, especially in his interactions. He's now in his sweet spot with the government of national unity, collaborating across different political areas. This is positive for the country. We're seeing the rand strengthen, South African shares improving, and business and consumer confidence on the rise since the May 29th election. You've followed politics for a long time, Linda. It's almost as if the South African president has a new lease on life.
Linda van Tilburg
Absolutely. Others have noted it too. It seems like the constant pressure he was under has lifted. Now, in this government of national unity, he can focus on what he does best – deal-making. He's not Donald Trump, but he's a negotiator. It'll be interesting to see what he can offer Musk. Musk has dug in his heels, saying he won't give away 30% of his company for a BEE deal. So, the question is whether there will be an exception to the BEE rules, and if so, what kind of door that would open. An exception would help not only the satellites but also electric cars for South Africa, like Tesla.
It's fascinating to see this more relaxed and comfortable version of Cyril. Before he became president, he was known for his charisma, but that seemed to disappear. Now, he's more himself again. It seems the government of national unity has given him more freedom. And if he tries to secure an exception for Starlink, I think the DA would support him. There may be resistance, but it'll be interesting to watch how this develops. The fact that they released this footage – which they usually don't do – shows they want the world to see this new relationship.
Alec Hogg
It's interesting to look at the people around Musk. In the group photograph, Ronald Lamola stands next to Musk, and Lamola is taller, which is noticeable.
Linda van Tilburg
Yes, I noticed that too. I've seen Lamola in person, but I didn't realize he's quite tall.
Alec Hogg
R.W. Johnson recently wrote about Ramaphosa's successor, saying that during discussions around the government of national unity, most commentators seemed to miss the point that Lamola is now being positioned as Ramaphosa's chosen successor. It doesn't guarantee he'll get the job, but it's clear that he's the president's favorite. Looking at Elon Musk, who grew up in South Africa – he first went to Bryanston High but was treated terribly. A couple of kids put him in the hospital for 10 days, and then he transferred to Pretoria Boys High.
Interestingly, Musk's connection with South Africa was rekindled in 2016, just before Cyril became ANC president. That seems to have opened a door to his homeland. It's not just Musk either; it's almost a family affair. You recently did an interview with the University of the Free State about Maye Musk. Can you give us a brief synopsis of that? It seems relevant if the whole family is warming up to South Africa.
Linda van Tilburg
Maye Musk completed her master's degree at the University of the Free State, and people often forget that she's actually a nutritionist. Her degree was of such a high standard that they awarded her a PhD. She's since set up a grant for students at the university, and she said she would support it for as long as she's working. They were thrilled to have her involved, and it was great for them to put a face to the grant. I tried to get an interview with her, but getting through her team is almost impossible. Still, it's interesting that she continues to support South Africa, despite what happened with Pretoria Boys High. People might have thought the Musk family had written off South Africa, but it seems they're re-engaging.
And of course, we need Starlink – especially in rural areas where access to the internet is limited.
Alec Hogg
Starlink is just the start. Some of our BizNews colleagues in Malawi use Starlink, and it costs only R800 a month, which is cheaper than most connectivity options in South Africa. It's also faster. So, there's a clear value case for Starlink in South Africa. But that's just the beginning. What about the motor industry development program for Tesla?
Linda van Tilburg
Exactly.
Alec Hogg
There's already a Tesla operation in South Africa that makes batteries. And if Elon reconnects with South Africa through Ramaphosa, given their mutual ties to China, we might see exciting developments. Tesla produces many vehicles in China, and both Musk and Ramaphosa have strong ties there. There's a lot happening behind the scenes that we don't know about, but it would have been fascinating to be a fly on the wall during those discussions. As you pointed out, both of them looked very comfortable with each other, which suggests there may be exciting things to come.
Linda van Tilburg
Definitely. We'll be keeping an eye on this.
Alec Hogg
Linda van Tilburg is our UK correspondent, and I'm Alec Hogg from BizNews.com.
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