The article examines the reasons behind Elon Musk’s decision to leave South Africa in 1989, long before he became one of the world's wealthiest entrepreneurs.A commonly repeated claim has been that Musk emigrated to avoid mandatory military service under the apartheid-era government.However, according to his father, Errol Musk, this explanation is inaccurate.

In an interview, Errol Musk stated that his son’s departure had nothing to do with avoiding military service and was instead motivated by concerns about South Africa’s future and a strong desire to pursue opportunities abroad, particularly in the United States.

Born in Pretoria in 1971, Elon Musk attended several South African schools and demonstrated exceptional academic and technical abilities from a young age.He also experienced severe bullying during his school years, including a violent incident that resulted in hospitalization.After completing his education, Musk briefly attended the University of Pretoria while waiting to obtain Canadian citizenship through his mother.

Errol Musk explained that many white South Africans were uncertain about the country's future during the late 1980s amid political upheaval and the approaching end of apartheid.He said these concerns, combined with Elon’s fascination with America and Silicon Valley, influenced his decision to leave.After relocating to Canada, Musk studied at Queen’s University and later transferred to the University of Pennsylvania.

He subsequently moved to California, where he abandoned a doctoral program at Stanford University to pursue opportunities in the emerging internet industry.

He co-founded Zip2, later helped build PayPal, and went on to establish or lead major companies including SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, The Boring Company, and X.

The article portrays his move from South Africa as an early step in a career that eventually led to extraordinary business success and global prominence.