EFF leader Julius Malema has questioned the Department of Home Affairs if Elon Musk is still a South African citizen, given his political interference in local governance.
The world’s richest man is a close ally of US President Donald Trump and has been accused of influencing the latter’s clampdown on SA.
Both Musk and Trump have publicly called out SA for promoting “racist laws.” Trump has also issued an executive order permitting Afrikaners to seek asylum in America.
MALEMA QUESTIONS HOME AFFAIRS ON ELON MUSK CITIZENSHIP
In a parliamentary session this week, the EFF questioned Elon Musk’s South African citizenship and if it would be revoked on the grounds of him influencing diplomatic tensions between the US and his country of birth.
However, Minister Leon Schreiber, in a written response, stated that divulging such information would infringe on the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act.
Schreiber stated that the party was required to submit an application, including identity numbers, to obtain the information through the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).
The minister also clapped back at what he called Julius Malema’s bid to weaponise Home Affairs for political merit.’
Images via X: @elonmusk/ Canva
He stated: “Instead of being based on politics, our decisions are informed by the requirements of the Constitution, the rule of law, rationality, and just administration.”
Schreiber also called on Malema to apologise to South Africans for pushing “hateful rhetoric.”
He continued: “Rather than seeking to cower behind the Minister of Home Affairs in an ill-fated attempt to escape from the possible consequences of his actions, it is advisable for the honourable member’s party leader to apologise for his inflammatory and divisive rhetoric and to meaningfully commit to a programme of restitution and nation building.”
‘CONSIDER MYSELF AMERICAN’
This week, Elon Musk seemingly disowned his South African roots following US right-wing political commentator Tucker Carlson’s sit-down interview with former AfriForum Deputy CEO Ernst Roets.
In the clip, Roets doubled down on Musk’s claims that South Africa was promoting the agenda of a “white genocide.”
Distancing himself from his birth country, Musk tweeted: “Should note that I grew up as English South African, not Afrikaans. Consider myself to be simply an American. No hyphen”.
He added: “That said, what’s happening in South Africa is deeply wrong. Not what Mandela intended at all”.
Elon was born in 1971 to Errol and Maye Musk. At the age of 17, he moved from his Pretoria home to Canada, his mother’s country of birth. He later moved to the US to pursue studies and work opportunities. In 2002, Musk became a naturalised citizen.
Meanwhile, Canadians have started a petition for the government to revoke Elon Musk’s citizenship in their country.
DO YOU THINK ELON MUSK SHOULD HAVE A SA CITIZENSHIP?
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