President Cyril Ramaphosa has rejected EFF leader Julius Malema’s criticism of his recent call with billionaire Elon Musk, defending it as part of South Africa’s diplomatic engagement.
During a Q&A session in the National Assembly, Malema questioned why Ramaphosa bypassed official diplomatic channels to speak with Musk, whom he accused of promoting “racist and white supremacist” views about South Africa.
“The unrepentant racist made more bad remarks about South Africa even after meeting you, but you still saw a need to go outside diplomatic channels to engage him,” Malema said. He also asked whether International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola was involved in arranging the conversation.
Ramaphosa dismissed Malema’s concerns, stating that his communication with ministers was none of Malema’s business. He defended his discussions with Musk, arguing that Musk’s influence in the US government could help counter misinformation about South Africa.
“The discussions revolved around his potential investments,” Ramaphosa said. “We engage with both state and non-state actors where necessary.”
He also addressed AfriForum and Solidarity’s lobbying in the US, accusing them of spreading misinformation and harming South Africa’s reputation. Ramaphosa suggested law enforcement agencies could determine whether their actions were treasonous.
Meanwhile, the US State Department confirmed it was implementing Donald Trump’s executive order on resettling Afrikaners facing alleged discrimination in South Africa.
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