Senegalese-American music icon Akon has stirred intense debate following controversial remarks about Elon Musk’s support for white South Africans.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Bagfuel Brigade podcast, Akon claimed the Tesla CEO and South African-born billionaire is advocating for white South Africans because, according to him, their living conditions are worse than those of Black South Africans today.
“Elon feels they’re being mistreated and fighting for equality in a country where Blacks are the majority,” Akon said. “In South Africa, white folks don’t have it as good as in America. There, they live in the hood while Black people are living good.”
Akon suggested that the dynamic in South Africa has flipped post-apartheid, and that Musk’s advocacy stems from a belief that white communities are now marginalized. The singer praised South African Blacks for their unity, adding, “If all African countries united like South Africa, we’d become a global superpower.”
His comments come amid backlash over Elon Musk’s criticism of South Africa’s new land reform law, which permits the state to seize unused land without compensation for redistribution. Musk previously called South Africa’s land ownership rules “racist,” sparking accusations of fearmongering.
However, Akon’s claims contradict World Bank data, which shows white South Africans still earn nearly three times more than Black citizens and control about 75% of the land, despite being just 7% of the population. His remarks have since ignited conversations about race, land, and economic inequality in South Africa’s complex post-apartheid era.