South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has addressed concerns over misinformation about his country in a conversation with billionaire Elon Musk, the presidency confirmed on Tuesday. The discussion followed remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened to suspend aid to South Africa over its land reform policies.
Trump claimed on Sunday that the South African government was seizing land and discriminating against “certain classes of people.” In response, Ramaphosa stated on Monday that no land had been confiscated and that the policy aimed to ensure fair and equitable access to land.
Musk, who was born in South Africa and has close ties to Trump, entered the debate on Monday, posting on X that South Africa had “openly racist ownership laws” and suggesting that white citizens were being unfairly targeted.
According to a statement from the presidency, Ramaphosa and Musk spoke on Monday about “misinformation and distortions” regarding South Africa. The president reiterated the country’s commitment to the rule of law, justice, fairness, and equality, as enshrined in its constitution. No further details were provided about the conversation.
