Profile and Impact of Errol Musk

1. Introduction

• This report delves into the life and influence of Errol Musk, the father of Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk. Though he has lived much of his life out of the public eye, he has recently become more prominent due to his complex family dynamics and controversial statements. Based on multiple sources, this report aims to provide a comprehensive profile of Errol Musk, exploring his background, business ventures, family relations, and public controversies.

2. Background and Early Life

• 2-1. Family of Adventurers

• Errol Musk comes from a family of adventurers. In a rare interview with Forbes, Errol revealed that his parents were the first to ever fly from South Africa to Australia in a single-engine airplane. His grandmother also broke barriers, becoming the first-ever chiropractor in Canada.

• 2-2. Pioneering Parents

• Errol Musk's parents were pioneers in aviation, having completed a notable flight from South Africa to Australia in a single-engine airplane. This adventurous spirit is a hallmark of his family's legacy.

• 2-3. First Chiropractor in Canada

• Errol's grandmother was a trailblazer in her own right. She became the first-ever chiropractor in Canada, further adding to the pioneering spirit evident in the Musk family.

3. Business Ventures

• 3-1. Co-ownership of an Emerald Mine

• Errol Musk claimed in an interview with Business Insider South Africa that he once owned half of an emerald mine in Zambia. This opportunity arose unexpectedly when he and a co-pilot were flying a plane from South Africa to England to sell the aircraft. They had a planned stop in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but due to a religious holiday, they would have incurred a significant fee to land. Consequently, they changed their plans, sold the plane for £80,000 to some Italian nationals in Djibouti, and used that money to purchase a part of the emerald mine.

• 3-2. Acquiring Wealth from the Mine

• According to Errol Musk, the emerald mine made him extremely wealthy. In the Business Insider South Africa interview, he recounted how, at one point, he had so much money that he couldn't physically close his safe without additional help. Furthermore, Errol claimed that they received emeralds for six years and mentioned an instance where his sons, Elon and Kimbal Musk, sold emeralds from this mine to Tiffany & Co. in New York City.

• 3-3. Involvement of Elon and Kimbal in the Family Business

• Errol Musk recalled a time when his sons, Elon and Kimbal, participated in the family business by selling emeralds from the mine to Tiffany & Co. However, Elon Musk has publicly refuted claims regarding his father's wealth and contributions to his early ventures. In a tweet from December 2019, Elon stated that his father did not own an emerald mine and that he worked his way through college, accumulating around $100,000 in student debt. Elon also dismissed Errol's assertion of investing $28,000 in his first company, Zip2. Elon emphasized that the initial funding for Zip2 came from various angel investors in Silicon Valley, not from their father.

4. Controversial Claims and Public Statements

• 4-1. Refuted Investment in Zip2

• Errol Musk claimed to have invested $28,000 in his sons Elon and Kimbal's company, Zip2. This investment was cited in Ashlee Vance’s biography titled 'Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future.' However, Elon Musk refuted these claims, stating that his father did not own an emerald mine and did not invest in Zip2. Elon clarified on Twitter in December 2019 and during an interview with Rolling Stone in 2017 that he and his brother funded their education and initial company through scholarships, loans, and multiple jobs. He emphasized that the capital for Zip2 came from angel investors in Silicon Valley.

• 4-2. Elon's Denial of the Emerald Mine

• Errol Musk claimed he owned half of an emerald mine in Zambia, mentioning that he acquired his share after selling an aircraft in Djibouti. According to Errol, the wealth generated from this mine was substantial to the point where they had difficulty closing their safe due to an abundance of money. Despite these assertions, Elon Musk has consistently denied the existence of such an emerald mine. In a tweet from December 2019, Elon stated that his father did not own an emerald mine. Furthermore, Elon highlighted that he ended his college education with approximately $100,000 in student debt, countering Errol's claims of substantial wealth.

• 4-3. Manslaughter Acquittal

• Errol Musk was acquitted of manslaughter charges in connection with an incident where he shot and killed three burglars at his home in Johannesburg. According to Errol, the incident occurred when he was confronted by seven armed men who opened fire on him, leading him to shoot back in self-defense. Errol was ultimately cleared of all charges, as it was determined that he acted in self-defense. This event, along with other controversial episodes in his life, continues to contribute to the public's complex and often negative perception of Errol Musk.

5. Political Involvement

• 5-1. Election to Pretoria City Council

• In 1972, Errol Musk was elected to the Pretoria City Council in his native South Africa. He was a member of the Progressive Party.

• 5-2. Opposition to Apartheid

• As a member of the Progressive Party, Errol Musk opposed apartheid. He added that his children were keenly aware of the country's government-sanctioned racial segregation and that they did not like it.

• 5-3. Views on Modern South Africa

• Despite his opposition to apartheid, Errol Musk told The New York Times that life in apartheid South Africa was ultimately 'better' and 'safer' than it is today.

6. Family Relationships

• 6-1. Marriage and Divorce with Maye Musk

• Errol Musk married model Maye Musk, with whom he shares three children: Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca Musk. Errol himself has admitted to being responsible for their divorce, citing his own mistakes as the cause. Maye, in turn, has accused Errol of both infidelity and abuse during their marriage. She described him as treating her badly in public and being violent, which led her to live in fear and embarrassment. Maye also reported that Errol made sure she had no financial resources and would throw out their children’s possessions when they visited him, necessitating replacements.

• 6-2. Affairs and Allegations of Abuse

• Errol Musk confessed to having extramarital affairs during his marriage to Maye Musk. However, the issues extended beyond infidelity; Maye Musk has made disturbing allegations that Errol was abusive toward her. She claimed that he verbally abused her and controlled her finances, contributing to a strained and fearful domestic environment. These allegations are part of why their relationship ended and why neither Maye nor their children have a positive recollection of Errol.

• 6-3. Fathering Children with Stepdaughter

• Errol Musk fathered two children with his stepdaughter Jana Bezuidenhout. Jana was 4 years old when Errol married her mother, Heide Bezuidenhout. Errol and Jana share a son named Elliot Rush, born in 2017, and a daughter born in 2019. Errol has described the conception of their children as unplanned but believes it was part of 'God's plan or nature's plan'. This relationship has caused a rift within the family, with Errol's sons, Elon and Kimbal, reportedly upset about their fathering a child with someone they considered a sister.

7. Estrangement from Elon Musk

• 7-1. Elon's Public Statements

• In an interview with Rolling Stone, Elon Musk called his father Errol Musk "a terrible human being" and "evil." Elon claimed that Errol had committed nearly every crime possible and described his actions as incredibly bad. According to Elon, he had tried various approaches, including threats, rewards, intellectual arguments, and emotional arguments, to improve his father's behavior, but nothing worked. Elon also refuted his father's claims of owning an emerald mine and investing in his first company, stating that he did not receive financial support from Errol and had worked his way through college, ending up with approximately $100k in student debt.

• 7-2. Errol's Responses

• In response to Elon's statements, Errol Musk expressed disappointment and referred to Elon as acting like a spoiled child. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Errol stated that Elon needed to grow up and get over himself. He added that he would not retaliate against Elon and would wait until Elon came to his senses. Errol also stated that Elon could not always get what he wanted, and labeled him as having a tantrum.

• 7-3. Attempts at Reconciliation

• Despite the harsh words exchanged, there have been attempts to reconcile. Elon mentioned that he tried everything to repair the relationship with his father, but nothing produced the desired results. He stated in the Rolling Stone interview that it seems impossible to change his father for the better. For his part, Errol mentioned that he would wait for Elon to grow up and come to his senses, indicating a potential, albeit strained, openness to reconciliation in the future.

8. Glossary

• 8-1. Errol Musk [Person]

• Errol Musk is a South African electromechanical engineer, pilot, and sailor, known for being the father of Elon Musk. He gained significant wealth through the alleged co-ownership of an emerald mine but has been a controversial figure due to his complex personal life and strained relationships with his children, particularly Elon Musk. He has served as a city councilor and positions himself in opposition to the apartheid system.

• 8-2. Emerald Mine [Business Venture]

• Errol Musk claimed to have been a co-owner of an emerald mine in Zambia, which reportedly made him extremely wealthy. This mine became a controversial topic as Elon Musk has publicly denied its existence and its impact on their family's financial background.

• 8-3. Maye Musk [Person]

• Maye Musk is a model and dietitian from Canada and South Africa, known for being the mother of Elon Musk. She was married to Errol Musk and had three children with him. Their marriage ended in divorce, with Maye citing abuse and infidelity as primary factors for their separation.

9. Conclusion

• Through a detailed exploration of his life, this report outlines the multifaceted and often contentious figure that is Errol Musk. Despite significant contributions to his family's wealth and claims of his influence on Elon Musk's engineering prowess, his personal and familial relationships tell a more complicated story. His estrangement from his children, particularly Elon, and the numerous controversial aspects of his life present a layered picture that contrasts starkly with the public perception of his son.

10. Source Documents

• Who Is Elon Musk's Estranged Father? All About Errol Muskhttps://people.com/human-interest/who-is-errol-musk-elon-musk-father/
• Who Is Elon Musk's Estranged Father? All About Errol Muskhttps://people.com/human-interest/who-is-errol-musk-elon-musk-father/