We take the allegations seriously, and we want to have a credible independent voice to state the actual facts of the matter,” he said. “US intelligence services said they had evidence that they would only provide to us via a credible investigation or inquiry. “In recent engagements between the South African delegation and US officials, the Lady R matter was discussed and there was 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 statement read.ĬNN asked presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya why an inquiry was needed for events at South Africa’s own naval base. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement late Thursday that no evidence had been provided to support these allegations and that the government planned to form an independent inquiry into the matter. South Africa risks backlash for Russian naval exercises, but its history with Moscow runs deep Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov is docked en route to scheduled naval exercises with the South African and Chinese navies in Durban, South Africa, February 17, 2023. The South African presidency called the explosive allegations “disappointing” and warned that the remarks “undermine the spirit of cooperation and partnership” between the US and South African government officials who had been discussing the matter. ![]() The US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control added the Lady R to its sanctions list in May last year for alleged weapons shipments, along with a host of other Russian-flagged cargo vessels. Cargo vessels routinely dock at Cape Town’s civilian harbor, not the naval base.Īt the time, opposition member of parliament and shadow Defense Minister Kobus Marais said in a statement that goods were loaded off and onto the ship during the overnight hours and demanded answers from the government. ![]() The presence of the mysterious ‘Lady R’ cargo vessel caused significant speculation when it docked at the naval base in Simon’s Town near Cape Town in December last year. South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor would also speak to her US counterpart, Secretary Antony Blinken, about the matter, he added. Monyela said a detailed statement would be released following the meeting. In a statement released on Twitter Friday, Clayson Monyela, the head of public diplomacy for the South African foreign ministry, said it would “demarche the USA Ambassador to South Africa following his remarks yesterday.” In response to the ambassador’s claims, South Africa has summoned Brigety to Pretoria. “The arming of the Russians is extremely serious, and we do not consider this issue to be resolved, and we would like SA to practicing its non-alignment policy,” he said, according to both news outlets. “We are confident that weapons were loaded onto that vessel, and I would bet my life on the accuracy on that assertion,” the ambassador also said in a video released by Newzroom Afrika, a local news channel that was also at the briefing. “Among the things we noted was the docking of the cargo ship in Simon’s Town naval base between the 6th to the 8th of December 2022, which we are confident uploaded weapons and ammunition onto that vessel in Simon’s Town as it made its way back to Russian,” Ambassador Reuben Brigety II told local media, including. ![]() The US ambassador to South Africa on Thursday accused the South African government of delivering arms and ammunition to a sanctioned Russian cargo vessel late last year, local media said.
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