Musk again criticised the country’s transformation policies, describing them as discriminatory.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson has hit back at South African-born tech billionaire and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk’s comments that South Africa has more racially discriminatory laws aimed at white people than it did during apartheid.
Musk, the owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X, made the comments in a social media post citing research by the Institute of Race Relations (IRR).
Race Law is a public-interest initiative by the South African Institute of Race Relations (IRR) to index all the statutes, regulations, policies, and superior court judgments that perpetuate racialism as a matter of law. It does so through the Index of Race Law.
Race laws
In a post on X, Musk again criticised the country’s transformation policies, describing them as discriminatory.
“South Africa has more race laws today than it did during Apartheid. All aimed at the White minority. This is what happens when Whites become a minority in their own country. Prepare accordingly.”
It’s unclear what Musk meant by “prepare accordingly.”
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‘Unrepentant racist’
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, pushed back against Musk’s comments on X.
“Only an unhinged, unrepentant racist will not understand how deeply offensive such words are to people who still bear the scars of apartheid and everyday work to dismantle the mess left by colonialism and apartheid that benefited your ilk.”
‘Lies’
Former public protector Thuli Madonsela also weighed in on Musk’s post, questioning the accuracy of his claims.
“Why do you spread these lies yes Sir. Surely you know the truth! Your own LLM / AI accepts that without reparative justice, South Africa can never be a society of equals nor can it fulfil its economic and social potentials.”
‘Anti-white’
Musk has consistently propagated anti-white race laws in South Africa.
In March 2025, Musk falsely claimed on his X platform that he could not operate his low-orbit satellite internet service, Starlink, in South Africa because of his skin colour, in response to a conversation between South African billionaire Robert Hersov and social media show host Mario Nawfal.
“Starlink is not allowed to operate in South Africa because I’m not black.”
Hersov is no stranger to controversy. Last year, during the BizNews conference, he described President Cyril Ramaphosa as a “disgrace, disappointment and embarrassment” to the country and called for his immediate resignation.
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Starlink
In the interview with Nawfal, Hersov echoed the stale sentiment about the 140 race-based laws in South Africa and the Expropriation Act signed by Ramaphosa.
“There’s been endless laws, anti-white, boiling us like a frog in a bowl. And all I can say is thank you, America, and thank you, Donald Trump, for taking notice because we are on the edge of the socialist abyss.”
US companies
However, Monyela dismissed Musk’s claims.
“Sir, that’s NOT true, and you know it! It’s got nothing to do with your skin colour. Starlink is welcome to operate in ZA [South Africa], provided there’s compliance with local laws. This is a global international trade and investment principle.
“There are over 600 USA companies investing and operating in South Africa…all complying and thriving! Microsoft just announced additional investments yesterday,” Monyela said at the time.
BEE
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele, publicly criticised fellow minister Solly Malatsi after the latter’s contentious policy directive aimed at easing a Starlink deal in South Africa.
On Friday, Malatsi issued a formal policy direction instructing the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) to reconsider its regulations regarding the standard 30% local ownership rule.
The directive is effectively asking Icasa to recognise Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs).
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