You’ve probably seen the headlines. Some call him a brilliant engineer. Others, including his own son, use words like "evil" or "terrible." Basically, Errol Musk is a walking contradiction wrapped in a South African safari jacket. He is the man who helped shape the world's richest person, yet he remains an outcast from the very empire his DNA helped create.
The Emerald Mine: Fact, Fiction, or Somewhere In Between?
Let’s talk about the emeralds. Honestly, this is the part where everyone gets into a shouting match on X (formerly Twitter). If you ask the internet, Elon was born with a silver spoon—or rather, a green gemstone—in his mouth. If you ask Errol, he’ll tell you he bought a stake in a Zambian mine on a whim after selling an airplane to some Italians.
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He claims he had so much cash he couldn't even close his safe.
But then there's Elon's side. Elon says the "emerald mine" is a total myth. He’s even offered a million Dogecoin to anyone who can prove it exists. According to the 2023 biography by Walter Isaacson, the truth is way more "cloak-and-dagger" than a legit corporate mining operation. It was likely a short-lived, informal business where Errol traded raw stones. It didn't make them billionaires. It just made them "Pretoria wealthy" for a few years in the 80s before the business collapsed under the weight of synthetic, lab-grown emeralds from Russia.
A Family Tree That Defies Logic
Errol Musk doesn't do "normal" family dynamics. Not even close. You might know he has three kids with Maye Musk: Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca. But things get complicated—and weird—pretty fast after that.
After his divorce from Maye, Errol married Heide Bezuidenhout. She already had a young daughter named Jana. Fast forward a few decades, and the world was stunned to find out that Errol had fathered two children with Jana, his own former stepdaughter. He told The Sun in 2022, "The only thing we are on Earth for is to reproduce."
Elon was reportedly furious. He called the situation "creepy." It’s one of the primary reasons they don't talk anymore.
Why Elon Musk Calls His Father "Evil"
It’s rare to hear a billionaire cry in an interview. But when Elon spoke to Rolling Stone about his father, he actually broke down. He didn't just call him a bad dad. He said Errol has done "almost every crime you can possibly think of."
What does that actually mean?
- The 1998 Shooting: Errol once shot and killed three intruders in his Johannesburg home. He claimed self-defense and was cleared of all charges, but the event left a permanent mark on the family's psyche.
- The Emotional Toll: Both Maye and Elon have described Errol as being "psychologically abusive."
- The Apartheid Era: While Errol served on the Pretoria City Council and says he opposed apartheid, his recent comments in 2025 and 2026 suggest a much more "old school" and controversial view of South African history that clashes with the global image Elon tries to maintain.
The Engineering Gene: The One Thing They Share
Despite the hatred, Elon admits he got his "natural" engineering talent from Errol. Errol wasn't just a guy with a mine; he was a highly successful electromechanical engineer. He worked on office buildings, retail complexes, and even an air force base.
When Elon was a kid, Errol would take him to construction sites. He taught his kids how to think about how things are built. That "first principles" thinking people love to talk about? It started in a workshop in Pretoria, watching Errol take things apart.
What Really Happened with the Zip2 Money?
There is a $28,000 question that lingers over the Musk legacy. In the early days of Zip2 (Elon’s first big hit), some biographers say Errol put up $28,000 to keep the lights on. Errol says he did. Elon says he didn't.
Elon’s version is much grittier: he says he slept on a couch in the office, showered at the YMCA, and finished college with $100,000 in student debt. He views his father's claims as an attempt to take credit for a success Errol didn't build.
The Reality of Errol Musk Today
As of 2026, Errol Musk lives a relatively quiet life in South Africa, but he remains a constant "PR landmine" for his son. He gives interviews to tabloids. He shares "unfiltered" opinions on politics. He is a reminder that even the most powerful man on the planet can’t control his own origin story.
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If you’re trying to understand the "Musk Method"—the risk-taking, the stubbornness, the obsession with "breeding" and the future of humanity—you have to look at Errol. You don't have to like him. Elon certainly doesn't. But you can't ignore the fact that the chaos of Errol's life provided the friction that launched Elon into the stars.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
- Question the "Self-Made" Narrative: Success is rarely 0% or 100% inherited. Elon's journey shows that even if the "emerald wealth" was exaggerated, the intellectual capital (engineering knowledge) was very real.
- Recognize the Power of Conflict: Elon’s drive often seems fueled by a desire to outrun his father's shadow. Personal trauma can be a powerful, if toxic, fuel for ambition.
- Verify Sources on the "Mine": When reading about the Zambian emeralds, look for "informal trade" rather than "corporate mining." The lack of paperwork is the most telling detail of that era.