Behind the glamour of the Musk family’s wealth and influence lies a dark tale of abuse and control. Errol Musk, the father of tech billionaire Elon Musk, is renowned for his fortune amassed from engineering and politics. However, in the memory of his ex-wife, Maye Musk, he is forever linked to a painful nickname: “The Pig.”

Maye Musk, the celebrated model and dietitian, has for the first time publicly detailed her “hellish” nine-year marriage to Errol, a relationship she admitted to concealing for decades due to shame and fear.

The Marriage That Went From Admiration to Abuse

Errol Musk has been described as a talented entrepreneur who quickly became prosperous from engineering and real estate projects in Pretoria. Maye married Errol in 1970, and they had three children: Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca. However, the initial admiration quickly faded.

In her memoir, Maye Musk revealed that their marriage was a continuous cycle of physical, financial, and emotional abuse. Despite the facade of a privileged family, the reality behind closed doors was one of fear and strict control.

“Everybody I knew called him ‘The Pig’ because he treated me so badly in public,” Maye shared in an interview, revealing why she couldn’t divorce him sooner: “And I was too scared to tell anyone [about his violent behavior].”

Financial Manipulation and Control

Errol’s control was not limited to physical abuse. Maye recounted that Errol used his financial power to manipulate her, a common tactic in abusive relationships. Although the family lived in luxury, Maye often had to fend for herself, and following the divorce, she and her children faced severe financial hardship.

She recalled a period after escaping the marriage where she had to live on peanut butter sandwiches and bean soup, a stark contradiction to the glossy stories about a massive inheritance. Her acceptance of the abuse stemmed from the shame and desperation of an isolated woman.

Breaking the Silence and the Lasting Impact

The tumultuous relationship between their parents profoundly shaped the character of the children. Elon Musk himself has since publicly called his father a “terrible human being,” and their relationship is described as an almost complete emotional severance.

Maye Musk’s decision to break the silence on the “The Pig” nickname and the details of the abuse is not merely an act of personal liberation. It serves as a powerful cautionary tale about what can be hidden behind the doors of powerful and wealthy families. Her story underscores that wealth is not a shield against domestic abuse, and the courage to tell her truth is a legacy greater than any business achievement.

Maye Musk, now in her seventies, has become a symbol of resilience, proving that despite past wounds, life can be rebuilt through independence and personal success.