On March 11, 2025, during a session of the National Assembly, Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), directly challenged President Cyril Ramaphosa over his decision to meet with Elon Musk.
The confrontation occurred while Ramaphosa was addressing Questions for Oral Reply in Parliament, with Malema using the moment to question the president’s reasoning for the meeting, which reportedly took place during the UN General Assembly.
Malema strongly criticized Ramaphosa, accusing him of engaging with Musk despite the billionaire’s controversial and inflammatory remarks about South Africa.
He specifically pointed to Musk’s opposition to the country’s land reform policies, including the Expropriation Act, and labeled Musk’s views as “racist” and “white supremacist.”
Malema argued that Ramaphosa’s decision to meet Musk, knowing his stance, only emboldened the billionaire to continue his disparaging comments about the nation.
Malema remarked that the “unrepentant racist” became emboldened after the meeting, making more negative remarks about South Africa.
Additionally, Malema accused Ramaphosa of bypassing diplomatic channels by meeting Musk directly, rather than addressing the issue through official government channels.
He questioned whether the meeting undermined South Africa’s sovereignty and its diplomatic standing, asking, “Don’t you think you individually emboldened white people to undermine us? And you have single-handedly destroyed South Africa’s diplomatic relationships with other countries?”
Malema’s critique emphasized the broader implications of Ramaphosa’s actions, suggesting that the meeting damaged South Africa’s international position and its approach to managing disputes.
