There is no documentary evidence that Musk's family owned an emerald mine. The story originates with conflicting anecdotes from his father, Errol Musk, who has given several inconsistent versions and produced no ownership records, permits, or company filings. Apartheid-era South Africa effectively barred private emerald-mine ownership of that kind. Musk's family was comfortable, but the specific "emerald mine fortune" claim remains unverified — and his companies were funded chiefly by his PayPal proceeds.