AFRICA (Commonwealth Union) _ The United States ambassador to Pretoria, Reuben Brigety, has accused South Africa of providing military support to Russia despite its declared neutrality in the conflict with Ukraine.
Ambassador Brigety stated that the United States is convinced that arms and ammunition were loaded onto a Russian cargo ship that docked near Cape Town in December the previous year before it headed to Russia. He emphasized the seriousness of arming Russia and called on South Africa to adhere to its policy of non-alignment.
Moreover , when the ambassador is been questioned about the reliability of US intelligence regarding the ship’s cargo, Ambassador Brigety affirmed its solidity. A source present at the meeting confirmed the ambassador’s statements to AFP, although the American embassy declined to confirm or deny them.
The docking of the Russian cargo ship at Naval Base Simon’s Town on the Cape Peninsula caused controversy in South Africa when it was revealed last year. The Democratic Alliance, the main opposition party, called on the government led by the African National Congress (ANC) to explain how a Russian cargo ship targeted by Western sanctions was permitted to dock. The shadow defence minister, Kobus Marais, raised concerns about the ship’s docking at a military port instead of a commercial one and the surrounding secrecy.
On the other hand, South Africa has officially maintained neutrality since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa had a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin to discuss the situation. However, no transcript or readout of the conversation was made available. The two leaders had another phone call the following summer, during which they discussed the war’s impact on global food security ahead of a BRICS summit.
However, many South Africans would be expecting the US to offer proof of its allegation, as it is not sufficient for the envoy to merely assert the existence of the intelligence.
