Sol Phenduka Praises Elon Musk's Tesla Cybercab Launch, Mzansi Pushes Back
- Sol Phenduka sparked a heated online debate after praising Elon Musk following Tesla's Cybercab robotaxi launch in Austin
- The radio star and podcast co-host said Musk was proudly South African despite his controversial remarks about the country
- Mzansi was divided, with some defending Sol's admiration and others calling it misplaced given Musk's anti-South Africa stance
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Source: Instagram
Sol Phenduka has set social media alight after publicly singing Elon Musk's praises following the launch of Tesla's Cybercab robotaxi. The radio personality and co-host of Podcast and Chill with MacG took to X on Friday, 4 September 2026, to share his admiration for the billionaire's latest technological achievement, expressing regret that Musk was not South African.
"If only he were proudly South African. Love him or hate him. He is changing the world," Sol wrote, responding to a post by tech investor Sawyer Merritt, who shared footage of driverless Tesla Cybercabs filling the streets of downtown Austin, Texas.
What is the Tesla Cybercab?
Tesla officially launched its two-seat Cybercab robotaxi at an exclusive event on Thursday at ACL Live in Austin, giving attendees their first fully driverless rides. The futuristic gold-coloured vehicle features gull-wing doors but comes with no steering wheel, pedals, or mirrors — a design bold enough to draw the attention of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has begun its own evaluation of the vehicle.
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Why Sol's post hit a nerve
The praise did not sit easily with many South Africans, largely because of Musk's history of controversial remarks about the country of his birth. He has previously accused the South African government of implementing laws that barred him from establishing a local company, citing Black Economic Empowerment legislation. He has also amplified claims of a so-called white genocide in South Africa, a narrative that gained traction after US President Donald Trump echoed similar sentiments.
Against that backdrop, Sol's warm words landed differently for a large portion of his audience.
Source: UGC
Below are some of the reactions:
@DukelaKwekwe did not hold back:
"Especially you, Sol and MacG. You have divided black Africans more with all the little pokes you throw on the biggest podcast in Africa — you were supposed to unite us, not pour petrol when the fire was burning."
@Andilengcobo981 was equally pointed:
"Soon soon you'll be glad he's not South African."
@DlubuladledleN offered a racial reading of the moment:
"It just proves that white people are Europeans..."
Not everyone was opposed to Sol's position, though some qualified their support with scepticism about Musk specifically:
@sazi_zondo kept it dry:
"Yep, let's celebrate the man for coming up with robotery, a world of robots. Let's go ahead and do it. 👏🏽"
@Sphesihlez33 offered a different angle on the broader Musk-South Africa tension:
"His offer was that he was gonna supply Starlink in 5000 rural school areas for free and black people want him to give 30% of Starlink to the ANC instead, and they will not even get a cent from that 30%. South Africans are very stupid."
Elon's net worth plummets
In a previous report from Briefly News, Elon Musk's net worth fell by R11.73 trillion in six weeks after a drop in SpaceX shares.
Although he remains the world's richest person by a wide margin, his losses raised eyebrows.
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Source: Briefly News
