South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday said that an individual inquiry has found nothing to prove that a Russian ship had taken weapons from the African nation late 2022 bound for Russia.
The enquiry was made in response to the US’ claims, igniting a controversy, in which US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety said that Russian cargo ship Lady R had taken weapons from a naval base near Cape Town in December. He made the claim during a May briefing in front of local journalists.
The US allegations prompted doubts about South Africa’s declared non-alignment and neutrality over Russia’s conflict in Ukraine and worries about potential Western sanctions.
Ramaphosa said in a speech to the country that the charges had a negative impact on South Africa’s economy and its position internationally. He said, “The panel found that there was no evidence to support the claim that the ship transported weapons from South Africa destined for Russia. No permit was issued for the export of arms and no arms were exported.”
According to Ramaphosa, the ship had moored at the facility to deliver weaponry that South Africa’s arms procurement firm Armscor had bought for the South African National Defence Force in 2018.
He claimed that disclosing specifics about the equipment offloaded would jeopardise crucial military operations and endanger the lives of South African soldiers.
According to Ramaphosa, the ship had moored at the facility to deliver weaponry that South Africa’s arms procurement firm Armscor had bought for the South African National Defence Force in 2018. He claimed that disclosing specifics about the equipment offloaded would jeopardise crucial military operations and endanger the lives of South African soldiers.
“When all matters are considered, none of the allegations made about the supply of weapons to Russia have been proven to be true. None of the persons who made these allegations could provide any evidence to support the claims that had been levelled against our country,” Ramaphosa said.
South African authorities swiftly denied the allegations once they were made, and Ramaphosa ordered the independent investigation to be conducted by a retired judge.