Location: Pretoria, South Africa
An independent inquiry in South Africa has concluded that there is no evidence to support claims that the country supplied weapons to Russia.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the findings, which rejected allegations made by the US ambassador to South Africa that a Russian ship was loaded with ammunition and arms in Cape Town in December.
The claims had raised questions about South Africa’s neutrality in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and had a detrimental impact on the nation’s currency and reputation.
President Ramaphosa stated, “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.”
Ambassador Reuben Brigety had previously asserted that he was confident weapons and ammunition were loaded onto the vessel. However, South Africa’s foreign ministry later stated that he had “apologized unreservedly” for the claims.
In response to the inquiry’s findings, a spokesperson for the US embassy in Pretoria appreciated South Africa’s thorough investigation but declined to comment on the report’s contents.
The inquiry determined that the Russian cargo ship had delivered weapons from Russia to South Africa, which had been ordered in 2018.
President Ramaphosa ordered the independent judge-led inquiry after Ambassador Brigety’s comments. While the executive summary of the report will be released, the full report will remain confidential for security reasons.
South Africa has faced criticism from Western nations, including the US, for maintaining friendly relations with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country has abstained from several UN votes on the conflict, declining to publicly condemn Russia’s actions. Concerns have also been raised about joint naval exercises between Russia and South Africa.
The independent inquiry’s findings provide clarity on the allegations and are likely to have implications for South Africa’s diplomatic relations with both the US and Russia.