The billionaire had publicly accused his post-apartheid government of anti-white racism, and now Musk's ally, United States (US) President Donald Trump, said he would cut more than $400 million in funding to the country.

So Bejani Chauke, an Adviser to Cyril Ramaphosa, the SA President, called Musk's father, Errol, a 78-year-old engineer who lives in a luxury double-storey coastal villa a two-hour drive from Cape Town, Musk senior said.

"I was asked if I can arrange a quick talk between Ramaphosa and Elon last night ... so I did and then they spoke a few minutes later," Errol Musk told Reuters at his home in Langebaan, a mostly white enclave looking onto a lagoon fed by the Atlantic Ocean where he keeps a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce.

He briefly showed an exchange of WhatsApp messages between himself and Chauke that backed up his account. Chauke did not respond to questions by Reuters about his role in contacting Musk's father. Ramaphosa's office confirmed the phone conversation with Elon Musk, who was born in SA, in a post on the tycoon's X social media platform.

Contacted by Reuters, Ramaphosa's Spokesperson declined to comment on how the conversation with Elon Musk came about or on its content, only saying, "Errol Musk is a private citizen, his views are his personal views."

Elon Musk did not reply to multiple requests for comment from Reuters.

--Reuters--