Maye Musk – the mother of the world’s richest man, Elon Musk – has shared a throwback of her time as a South African beauty queen, including being a Miss SA finalist.

The author and model, along with her three 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren from her ex-husband Errol Musk, spent their formative years in South Africa before moving abroad.

ELON MUSK’S MOM SHARES MISS SA FINALIST THROWBACK

In a tweet this week, Elon Musk’s mom shared a blast from the past from her youth in South Africa. This included being an up-and-coming model and beauty pageant contestant.

The 76-year-old -posted a picture of her first magazine cover – Power Boating in 1976. As the winner of Miss Vaal, Maye – then using her maiden name, Haldeman – appeared in the fishing and watersports publication wearing her pageant crown.

Elon Musk’s mother Maye Musk. Images via X: @mayemusk

Later that year, Maye entered Miss SA and became a finalist. She appeared on the front cover of the Sunday Times. Ultimately, Linda Collett was crowned the winner.

Maye tweeted: “I didn’t win this one probably because I had gained 30 pounds. I was under great stress because it was my final year at an Afrikaans university, and I was struggling with the language. I think many foreign students will understand how hard it is to write exams in another language”.

Maye is referring to her time at the University of Pretoria, where she obtained a BSC degree.

A year after participating in Miss SA, Maye married Errol Musk and later welcomed 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca.

WHERE IS MAYE ORIGINALLY FROM?

Despite living in South Africa for many years, Maye Musk was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 in Canada. Her family moved to Pretoria when she was just two years old.

After their divorce in 1979, Elon went to live with his father while his mother was based in Bloemfontein. At the age of 18, Elon emigrated to Canada, and his mother and siblings followed a few years later.

Elon Musk, his siblings, and his mother, Maye, later moved to the US, where they have become permanent residents.