Ramaphosa aims to mend US ties with Musk business 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 during his second term, citing disapproval of its land reform policy and its genocide case against US ally Israel before the International Court of Justice.

His administration cut funding to the country in February and last week granted refugee status to a group of white South Africans it said were facing racial discrimination, a claim the 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 licencing 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 this month, citing US state department cables.

Musk, who is South African-born, has previously claimed Starlink was barred from operating in SA because he is not black, an allegation SA officials refuted. SA's telecoms regulator said in March Starlink had not applied for a licence.

Musk's false claim appeared to be taking a swipe at black economic empowerment 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 who travelled to the US on Monday, said he wanted to secure trade benefits for SA farmers.

SA agricultural products enjoy duty-free access to the US market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Under Trump's tariff regime, however, that is at risk.

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

Reuters