Elon Musk’s decision to leave South Africa was partly to evade military service during apartheid, as he has publicly stated. He acknowledged this choice in a 2013 interview and was reported to have deferred military service by attending the University of Pretoria briefly. South Africa’s conscription policies applied to white males, leading to controversy over Musk’s past. Military conscription was abolished in the 1990s after apartheid ended.
In early 2025, Elon Musk, an adviser to Donald Trump, initiated cuts in the Veterans Affairs agency through the Department of Government Efficiency, sparking criticism among military veterans. Some users on social media referred to Musk as a “draft dodger,” highlighting his history in South Africa where he evaded military conscription. Claims have surfaced about Musk’s departure from South Africa primarily aimed at avoiding mandatory service.
Musk has candidly acknowledged that he left South Africa to escape compulsory military service, refusing to serve an apartheid regime. He revealed in a 2013 interview with actor Rainn Wilson that he left at the age of 17 for this very reason, stating, “spending two years suppressing Black people doesn’t seem to be a great use of time.”
Before his departure, journalist Ashlee Vance noted that Musk “lazed” through academia to postpone military service but ultimately dropped out of the University of Pretoria after only five months. Musk has recounted two motivations for his move to Canada: a desire for a quicker route to the U.S. via his Canadian ancestry, and an aversion to joining the military due to South Africa’s apartheid policies.
During the time of mandatory service in South Africa, all white men over 16 were required to serve in the military, initially for nine months. By 1977, the service requirement was extended to two years. However, conscription was abolished in the 1990s with the end of apartheid, leading to the formation of an integrated military. Musk eventually left South Africa for Canada in 1989 to pursue higher education, where his mother was a citizen.
In summary, Elon Musk’s departure from South Africa was significantly influenced by his desire to avoid military conscription in an apartheid state. His subsequent actions in Canada further reveal complexities in his narrative. Ultimately, Musk’s story intertwines notions of personal choice, historical context, and social conscience regarding military service during a tumultuous period in South African history.
Original Source: www.snopes.com
