South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is gearing up for a critical visit to Washington this week, where he hopes to deepen diplomatic ties with the US by pursuing investment from Elon Musk’s companies. According to official sources, Ramaphosa will make a trade and investment proposal to US President Donald Trump during his meeting, to reduce tensions and encourage American enterprise in South Africa.
Ties between the two countries have been strained throughout Trump’s second term, particularly after his harsh comments about South Africa’s land reform programs. Ramaphosa expects that economic engagement will help to change the tone of the relationship.
Tesla might be a major topic of conversation. South Africa may offer the electric car manufacturer reduced import tariffs if it agrees to establish a statewide network of EV charging stations.
Despite their shared South African roots, Musk and Ramaphosa have had a tense history. Musk has criticised the country’s ownership restrictions and said Starlink was refused entry because of his race, something officials have denied.
For telecom licenses in South Africa, at least 30% must be owned by Black people. As a result, Starlink remains unavailable, despite the fact that it operates in 17 other African countries.
