And I was too scared to tell anyone [about his violence]," Maye told Harper's Bazaar in 2019. By email, Clash told us he had no idea why it was no longer hosted by Forbes. "Elon Musk Left a South Africa That Was Rife With Misinformation and White Privilege." In a 2019 . Went to Queens Univ with scholarship & debt, then same to UPenn/Wharton & Stanford. This is a pretty awful lie. In the meantime, Musk continues to make waves on multiple technological fronts, all while raising concerns about workers' rights and income inequality. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. Musk's father said that Tiffanys set the $800 emerald in a ring and offered it for $24,000, which he said was an object lesson in retail markup for the family. (We'll have more on Vance's Bloomberg.com interview later in this story.). Note: The reference to Zip2 concerned Elon's "first enterprise" in 1995. Errol owned one of the largest homes in Pretoria and took his children on many overseas trips, according to the book, Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, written by Ashlee Vance. "'His Family Stole an Emerald Mine.'" For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. I arrived by myself in Canada in 89 with ~CA$2500 Paid my own way through college, ending with ~$100k student debt Started 1st company with no funding & just one computer I built Theres no evidence whatsoever of an emerald mine, 2/2My father & his extended family have been dependent on financial support from my brother & me for over 20 years. The article attributed the source of Elon Musks wealth to apartheid. The child, a boy named Elliot Rush, is now 5 years old. Nothing, nothing. In that context, its probably understandable that Musk decided enough was enough and felt he needed to answer the claims online. I said, Oh, all right. AskMen, 2 Jan. 2015, https://www.askmen.com/entertainment/right-stuff/elon-musk-interview.html. He did the investment after selling a plane for about 80 000. In an interview with Business Insider South Africa, Errol admitted that, at one point, he literally made more money than he could physically handle. "Elon Musk Hits out at US Professor over Emerald Mine Claims: 'Idiot and Liar.'" Errols grandmother was Canadas first chiropractor, while Errols own mom and dad were the first two people to fly from South Africa to Australia in a single-engine airplane, according to Forbes magazine. As well as providing links, people started commenting Musk's own words back at him under his tweet. He's the son of Maye Musk, a model and dietitian from Canada, and Errol Musk, a South African electromechanical engineer, pilot, and sailor. SASSA: Here are your March 2023 grant payment dates. In South Africa, my father had a private plane we'd fly in incredibly dangerous weather and barely make it back. The story also included the same information from Elon's tweets where he said again that he had "ended up with $100,000 of student debt. "And we got emeralds for the next six years.". My own (wonderful) mother told me I am ruthless and should learn to be more humane. But I love my children and would readily do whatever for them.. The claim attracted a response from the billionaire, who said that the claim isn't true. The Associated Press, 20 July 2021, https://apnews.com/article/business-science-3546262d41f4c84763aa15339f642a5a. It was authored by Jeremy Arnold with The Save Journalism Committee. The story made no further mention of the mine. Ive tried everything. For the state of Texas, The Onion printed, "Elon Musk: Apartheid.". Since at least 2018, a rumor has been shared online about Tesla CEO and Twitter owner Elon Musk in regard to his father's purported past ownership of an "apartheid emerald mine" or "slave emerald mine." In 2019, Elon Musk confronted the Twitter talking point about his father's supposed emerald mine head-on, writing, "He didn't own an emerald mine & I worked my way through college, ending up ~$100k in student debt. It was kind of weird for them to walk into Tiffanys. Instead, Musk has sought to dispel the general belief that he comes from wealth. "But I mean, we were living together. He seemed very sad and lonely by himself. ", In 2018, he explained that he was helping Jana get over a breakup at the time of Rushi's conception, but he initially assumed the baby's father was Jana's ex. I said, Oh, all right. He will plan evil, Elon tearfully told Rolling Stone in 2017. Once again, he said that he paid his own way through college, ending with around $100,000 in student debt, and added thathe started his first company with no funding and one computer he built himself. "He didn't own an emerald mine & I worked my way through college, ending up ~$100k in student debt," Elon tweeted in December 2019. "One thing he claims is he gave us a whole bunch of money to start, my brother and I, to start up our first company. Eligon, John, and Lynsey Chutel. "Elon Musk's Vision of an Electric-Car Future." Heres his story. Musk replied, linking to Jeremy Arnolds article, which gave Musks side of the story. The article was titled, "I Talked to Elon Musk about Journalism and the Blood Emeralds Story.". The 76-year-old hasnt ruled out having more children, saying: The only thing we are on Earth for is to reproduce.. ", She added, "He was very rich, but he made sure I had nothing. "I screwed up the marriage, I was totally responsible. One of their homes was in Waterkloof, a leafy suburb of Pretoria that was popular with foreign diplomats. "Errol also quoted a lower number to me over the phone," Arnold wrote. In addition, they offered Errol a chance to buy partial ownership of a Zambian emerald mine. ", According to the story, Errol said that Elon "once walked the streets of New York with emeralds in his pocket." Errol was elected to the Pretoria City Council in 1972 and was an outspoken advocate for abolishing apartheid. This article is actually accurate: https://t.co/eVpCX9V1NB. We've received your submission. "I said, 'Oh, all right'. I tried threats, rewards, intellectual arguments, emotional arguments, everything to try to change my father for the better, and he no way, it just got worse., Errol subsequently told the publication in an email: Ive been accused of being a Gay, a Misogynist, a Paedophile, a Traitor, a Rat, a St (quite often), a Bastard (by many women whose attentions I did not return) and much more. If I could have another child I would. Are broader financial markets in a massive speculative bubble? ---. The headline of the story read, "Elon Musk Tells Me His Secret Of Success (Hint: It Ain't About The Money).". He added that Elon left the country as "a clear indication of his willingness to not support the political suppression in the country. He also sent a link to another interview he did with Elon in 2016. Like his son, the wealthy business owner who was once rumored to be the co-owner of a Zambian emerald mine has also been mired in controversy. Click Here to Get Smart on Protecting Your Family and Loves Ones, No Matter What Happens. This article forms part of the archives of Business Insider South Africa, which was published as a partnership between News24 and Insider Inc between 2018 and 2023. Elon Musk addressed the recent social storm when claims related his familys emerald mines in apartheid-South Africa resurfaced online. odakyu11. He has a net worth of $2 million and is living quite comfortably. People.Com, 7 Nov. 2022, https://people.com/human-interest/who-is-errol-musk-elon-musk-father/. While the story did mention the family once lived in a popular suburb, the article said nothing of the emerald mine providing wealth to the son when he moved to Canada in 1988, or to the U.S. in 1992. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. Below we have provided a small sampling of the many different ways the rumor has been framed in past years. He didnt own an emerald mine, and I worked my way through college, ending up [around] $100,000 in student debt, Elon tweeted. To me, he sure is trying to make the world better right now, and that's the best thing he could do with his father's money. Elon was a witness to this, bullets flying around, Cattrell further claimed. @spylinen tweeted, The mine was in Zambia, which became independent of the UK in 1964. I couldnt even afford a 2nd PC at Zip2, so programmed at night & website only worked during day. South Africa Blue Sky Publications (Pty) Ltd T/A TheSouthAfrican Number: 2005/028472/07. "We went to this guy's prefab [home] and he opened his safe," Errol said. In an interview with Rolling Stone, during which he reportedly cried, Elon called his father "a terrible human being" and "evil. ---. In 1972, Errol was elected to the Pretoria City Council in his native South Africa. So we decided to head back to Lake Tanganyika from where we were, I think we were in Djibouti., Errol Musk (father of one Elon Musk) on raising one of the world's most famous billionaires: http://t.co/Fg8xmqN1L0 pic.twitter.com/LVJyMdebZK. In the mid 1980s, Elon Musks father Errol and a copilot were on their way to England aboard a plane they hoped to sell when they landed there. SpaceX, his rocket company, is valued at $20 billion-plus. Elon Musk came from a family that owned an emerald mine in Apartheid South Africa. The Tesla CEO once called his South African dad 'evil' and denied rumours of family wealth fuelled by an emerald mine - but are they ready to reconcile? He is the father of business magnate and billionaire Elon Musk, restaurateur Kimbal Musk, and filmmaker Tosca Musk. Errol told Business Insider South Africa that he once owned half of an emerald mine in Zambia, which he claimed to have purchased on a whim. The story included reporting of Elon's denials that the emerald mine had provided any seed money for the wealth he would later accumulate. Musk left his father behind at the age of 17 to pursue his dreams in North America and escape conscription into the South African military. Standing with the cash in his hand, Errol was made another offer he couldn't refuse: Would he like to buy half an emerald mine for half of his new riches? "'His Family Stole an Emerald Mine.'" His mother Maye responded on Twitter in December 2019 in defense of Elon. Its unclear how old Elon was at the time and whether he was even present is in dispute. However, again, the story was at least partially unavailable on that website, too. The 76-year-old is most notable for. "What's very difficult for others is easy for me. And he had a disastrous relationship with his father. Smart Policies are as low as $30 a month, No Medical Exam Required I left South Africa by myself when I was 17 with just a backpack & suitcase of books. According to the story, "When [Elon] was elevenabout the time that he sold his first piece of software, a video game called Blastar Musk told his mother that he was going to move back to Pretoria to live with his father, Errol, an electrical engineer who would later own an auto-parts store and a share in an emerald mine.". Where is this bs coming from?" He was such a terrible human being, Musk told the magazine. Errol has long since retired from the engineering business and now lives a quiet life in the Western Cape in South Africa. 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In 1970, Errol married modelMaye Haldeman Musk before the pair welcomed three children: Elon, Kimbal and Tosca. Maye and Errol divorced in 1980 when Elon was about 9 years old. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Standing with the cash in his hand, Errol was made another offer he couldnt refuse: Would he like to buy half an emerald mine for half of his new riches? Errol Musk, the familys patriarch, is in the news after confirming he fathered a second secret love child with his stepdaughter, Jana Bezuidenhout, 35. In the biography Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, author Ashlee Vance wrote that Errol invested $28,000 in Elon and Kimbal's then-fledgling company, Zip2. ", In the post, he claimed that his family stood in opposition to apartheid, saying he went so far as to be elected as a Pretoria city councillor to aid that opposition. ---. The gist of the claim was that Elon's father, Errol Musk, who reports say has been estranged from his son for some time, owned an emerald mine during apartheid in South Africa, and that it. To me, he sure is trying to make the world better right now, and thats the best thing he could do with his fathers money. Errol named his price, and a deal was done. In the interview, Musk's father explained that he bought his share of the emerald mine after selling a plane to a group of Italians. Errol and Jana welcomed a son, Elliot "Rushi" Rush, in 2017 and a daughter in 2019. However, in the recent Channel 4 documentary Elon Musk: Superhero or Supervillain, co-founder of SpaceX, Jim Cattrell, claimed Elon was home at the time. So I became a half owner of the mine, and we got emeralds for the next six years.. ", For his part, Errol told the Daily Mail that Elon "needs to grow up" and "get over himself," adding, "I'm not going to hit back. "Exploring the otherworldly ambitions of Elon Musk", "How To Raise A Billionaire: An Interview With Elon Musk's Father, Errol Musk", "Who Is Elon Musk's Estranged Father? We sent these messages on Nov. 16, but did not receive responses before publishing this story on the following day. Errol told BI that he was flying from his home in South Africa to the U.K. to sell the plane he was on, with a young Elon in tow. Ask him." There were AK-47s all over the place and I'm thinking, "Man, this could really go bad.". Black Americans Have the Highest Mortality Rates But Lowest Levels of Life Insurance Still, it wasarchived by the Internet Archive. Our offices are for administrative purposes only, no visitors will be accepted without an appointment. "One thing led to another you can call it God's plan or nature's plan. Bloomberg.com, 22 May 2020. www.bloomberg.com, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-05-22/elon-musk-speaks-frankly-on-coronavirus-spacex-and-rage-tweets. A Twitter user claimed in December 2019 that Elon Musk's privileged upbringing included his father, Errol Musk, who owned an emerald mine [and] who could bankroll his education. However, the Tesla CEO begged to differ. They still dont like it. According to the story, in the mid-1980s, Errol and a copilot landed their plane near Lake Tanganyika in Zambia, where "a group of Italians" offered them 80,000 pounds in British currency in order to buy the plane. "They didn't like it.". He also called the whole rumor "BS.". A post on Reddit mentioned a theory that said Elon "convinced these publications to remove the articles," but there's no evidence to support that. Meanwhile, Elon has himself admitted that his father has a very high IQ and is brilliant at engineering. In 2017, he also told Rolling Stone that Errol was the youngest person to get a professional engineers qualification in South Africa., Im naturally good at engineering thats because I inherited it from my father, the worlds richest man stated. That conversation is more valuable but less newsworthy than just resurfacing the same lazy claims every few months, which are guaranteed to get clicks. As a child, Elon had a close relationship with his father and grew up prosperous in Pretoria. ", Though he claimed Elon and Kimbal were upset with him for fathering a child with a woman they felt was "their sister," Errol told The Sun, "The only thing we are on Earth for is to reproduce. I can't see any reason not to. The way Errol tells it, that all started with an inconvenient religious holiday. ", Musk tackled it on Twitter as the story circulated, but his denials do not explicitly contradict his father's tale of the bizarre airplane-emerald mine trade. Twitter, https://twitter.com/elonmusk/. Elon Musks family wealth has once again resurfaced as a talking point. I left South Africa by myself when I was 17 with just a backpack & suitcase of books. "We went to . By Michael Hein "He didn't own an emerald mine & I worked my way through college, ending up ~$100k in student debt. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Meanwhile, Musk's defenders often say that the mogul has denied this story, though that is not precisely true either. On July 28, 2014, Forbes.com published an interview with Elon Musk, which was conducted by Jim Clash. They still feel a bit creepy about it., They still dont like it, Errol admitted in a new interview withthe Sun: They still feel a bit creepy about it because shes their sister.