Ramaphosa seeks to mend US ties with Musk investment push

President Cyril Ramaphosa plans to discuss business opportunities for Elon Musk’s companies during a visit to Washington this week aimed at mending relations with US President Donald Trump, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson said on Monday.

Trump has taken aim at SA in his second term, citing disapproval of its land reform policy and of its genocide case against US ally Israel before the International Court of Justice.

His administration cut funding to SA in February and last week granted refugee status to a group of white South Africans it said were facing racial discrimination — a claim the SA government denies.

The two heads of state are scheduled to meet on Wednesday. SA officials have been preparing a trade proposal to present to Trump to reset the relationship.

One potential proposal would be for Tesla — led by Musk, a close ally and adviser to Trump — to receive favourable tariffs on its imports into SA in exchange for building electric vehicle charging stations.

“[It] could be one of the points discussed,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said in response to a text message query on the matter.

Asked about the question of licensing for Musk’s satellite company Starlink, Magwenya said: “Certainly, the issue will be discussed.”

The US has pushed some nations facing tariffs to approve Starlink, the Washington Post reported earlier in May, citing state department cables.

SA-born Musk has previously claimed Starlink was barred from operating in the country because he is not black, an allegation officials have refuted. SA’s telecom regulator said in March Starlink had not applied for a licence.

Musk’s false claim appeared to be taking a swipe at local BEE rules, requiring foreign-owned telecommunications licencees to sell 30% of the equity in their local subsidiaries to historically disadvantaged groups.

Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen, part of the delegation travelling to the US on Monday, said he wanted to secure trade benefits for local farmers.

SA agricultural products enjoy duty-free access to the US market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. But under Trump’s tariff regime that is now at risk.

“Losing these benefits would be disastrous for farmers, farm workers and the economy at large,” Steenhuisen said in a statement.

Reuters