President Cyril Ramaphosa says he will establish an independent probe to look into claims that government supplied weapons to Russia.

The US ambassador to South africa, Reuben E Brigety made the claims yesterday, saying he would “bet his life on it” that the nation provided weapons and ammunition to Russia for its war in Ukraine, via a cargo ship linked to a sanctioned company that docked secretly at the Simons Town naval base, in December.

But the Presidency says the Ambassador’s remarks ”undermine the spirit of cooperation and partnership that characterised the recent engagements between US government officials and a South African official delegation led by National Security Special Advisor to the President, Dr Sydney Mufumadi.”

In a statement, the Presidency says it is public knowledge that a Russian vessel known as Lady R docked in South Africa, and that allegations have been made about the purpose of the voyage.

While no evidence has been provided to date to support these allegations, the Government has undertaken to institute an independent inquiry to be led by a retired judge.

 

Ramaphosa says in recent engagements between the South African delegation and US officials, the Lady R matter was discussed and there was an agreement that an investigation will be allowed to run its course, and that the US intelligence services will provide whatever evidence in their possession.

The Presidency says it is  disappointing that the US Ambassador has adopted a ”counter-productive public posture” that undermines the understanding reached on the matter and the ”very positive and constructive engagements between the two delegations.”

On Friday 9 December 2022, the chief of the SA Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, backtracked on an undertaking from the navy to reveal details on why the Lady R docked at Simon’s Town Navy Base a few days earlier on Tuesday 6 December 2022.

At the time, a group of construction workers in Pine Road, Simons Town, who had a bird’s eye view of the harbour, told News24 they saw people offloading crates and boxes from the ship on the Thursday afternoon and late into the evening.

According to the men, when they arrived at work on Friday 9 December, at 05:30 in the morning, the Russian vessel was gone.

The rand fell more than 2% to the US dollar since News24 started reporting that the US believes South Africa supplied weapons and ammunition to Russia.

The rand fell more than 2%/$ since @News24 reported the US believes South Africa supplied weapons and ammunition to Russia.

Last December, I reported that South Africa's duty free access to the US via AGOA was at risk for @BloombergAfrica.https://t.co/V2GJZuU8ZF

— Prinesha Naidoo (@PrineshaNaidoo) May 11, 2023