APA-Cape Town (South Africa) The US White House has praised South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa for ordering a probe into allegations that Russian ship Lady R had loaded weapons from Cape Town last December, APA learnt on Wednesday.
The accusations were triggered by the US ambassador to Pretoria, Reuben Brigety who alleged the Lady R had loaded arms onto the Russia ship when it docked at Simon’s Town naval base in Cape Town last year.
According to the White House, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in a phone call this week to his South African counterpart Sydney Mufamadi, Washington was happy with the seriousness with which the allegations were treated.
“National security adviser Sullivan appreciated the seriousness with which President Ramaphosa had addressed the concerns about the Lady R’s activities last year,” the White House said in a statement.
It said the two national security advisers “reaffirmed the strong partnership between South Africa and the US, and recommitted to advance shared priorities, including trade and investment, infrastructure, health and climate.”
South African Defence Minister Thandi Modise had in December 2022 denied the claims saying the Russian vessel actually offloaded weapons Pretoria had ordered before the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the South Africans lacking the means to transport the weapons to the country, the Russians offered to deliver them here, Madise added.
Despite this, Ramaphosa appointed an independent panel, led by retired judge Phineas Mojapelo, to look into the allegations and the panel found the loading of weapons allegations had no basis.
The military equipment was coming into the country and not going out to Russia to be used in the war against Ukraine, the panel concluded.
NM/jn/APA