The United States yesterday accused South Africa of shipping arms to Russia, despite the ANC declaring it’s not choosing sides in the Russian war on Ukraine – a charge President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday fielded with a “we are looking into it”.
A visibly angry US ambassador Reuben E Brigety II said there were a series of issues where SA was not sticking to its claimed position of nonalignment with Russia, such as the docking of a Russian cargo ship, the Lady R, in the harbour of Simon’s Town Naval Base in December last year.
‘Confident’
“We are confident it uploaded weapons and ammunition onto the vessel in Simon’s Town as it made its way to Russia. “I will bet my life on it. “This does not suggest to us the actions of being nonaligned,” Brigety said.
Asked in parliament about the accusation, President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday said the matter concerning the Lady R was “being looked into” and “in time we will be able to speak about it”.
The presidency last night issued a statement which read, in part: “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.”
Brigety also slammed the ruling party’s report that the US provoked war with Russia over Ukraine, hoping to put Russia in its place.
READ MORE: Ukraine war: US ambassador accuses SA of supplying weapons to Russia
‘Outrageous’
“It’s outrageous, patently false and incorrect,” he said. “Concerning the hostility from the ANC, our senior government officials were concerned about the 55th National Conference report and resolutions from the ANC’s conference in December.
“Our senior officials shared profound concern about SA, the policy of neutrality and nonalignment and evident hostility of the ruling ANC towards the US,” Brigety said.
The timing of joint naval exercises that SA participated in with Russia and China in SA waters, which coincided with the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, also seriously concerned them, the ambassador said.
“The government of the US placed enormous importance on its relationship with the government and the people of South Africa, as it has for many decades,” he said.
Brigety said the US’ support was demonstrated throughout its response to the Aids pandemic in SA.
R400 billion
“Another example of our partnership was South Africa’s participation in African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) that provided SA with unreciprocated duty-free access to the US worth $21 billion (about R400 billion) last year.
“The benefits SA received from Agoa were roughly equal to the benefits of the rest entire continent of Africa combined.”
Brigety said 640 American companies operated in SA and employed over 225 000 people. Defence expert HelmoedRömer Heitman said the US was getting overexcited.
“There is very little we make that would be of any use to the Russians.” Heitman said he believes the US was upset with SA’s behaviour generally.
“It could cost us preferential trade,” he warned. Political analyst Piet Croucamp said there was an established relationship which neither SA, nor the US would want to risk.
“It’s something that will come at risk only as a last resort. Croucamp said when a cargo plane targeted by US sanctions for supporting Russia landed in SA in April, it offended the Americans and when the Lady R docked, it also offended the Americans.
“In many respects, we have already broken international sanction laws which were not trivial until the Americans find something substantial – and then we have trouble,” he said.
Criminologist Professor Jaco Barkhuizen said it was disconcerting that SA viewed its legislation and the Rome Statute as inconvenient because the statute and SA legislation spoke to victims and pushed for the arrest of offenders and victimisers of gross human rights abuse.
“Then again it seems human rights and human rights abusers are not seen as that important any more,” he said.
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