APA-Pretoria (South Africa) President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a three-member independent panel to enquire into US claims South Africa supplied some of the arms being used by Russia in its war against Ukraine, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Sunday.
According to Magwenya, retired Supreme Court judge Phineas Mojapelo would chair the panel that would “enquire into the circumstances of the docking of the Russian vessel known as Lady R in Simonstown, Western Cape, in December 2022.”
“The President has appointed Judge PMD Mojapelo as Chairperson, together with Adv. Leah Gcabashe SC and Mr Enver Surty as other members of the panel,” Magwenya said in a statement.
He said Ramaphosa decided to establish the enquiry “because of the seriousness of the allegations, the extent of public interest and the impact of this matter on South Africa’s international relations.”
“Through this inquiry, government seeks to establish the circumstances that led to the docking of the ship and the alleged loading of cargo, and the departure of the Lady R cargo ship from Simonstown during the period from 6 to 9 December 2022.”
The panel has been tasked to establish persons who were aware of the cargo ship’s arrival, and, if any, the contents to be off-loaded or loaded, the departure and destination of the cargo, Magwenya said,
Furthermore, the panel will evaluate whether constitutional, legal or other obligations were complied with in relation to the cargo ship’s arrival, its stay, the loading or off-loading of its contents and its departure.
“The panel’s report will include recommendations on any steps that may need to be taken in light of their findings or as a result of any breaches that may have occurred,” he said.
The panel is expected to finalise its investigation within six weeks and would submit its report to Ramaphosa within two weeks of concluding its work.
JN/APA