(CNN) – The US ambassador to South Africa on Thursday accused the South African government of supplying arms and ammunition to a sanctioned Russian cargo ship late last year, local media reported.
“One of the things we noticed was that the cargo ship docked at Simon’s Town Naval Base between December 6 and 8, 2022 and we are confident loaded weapons and ammunition onto the ship in Simon’s Town as it was en route back to Russia was,” Ambassador Reuben Brigety II told local media, including News24.com.
“We are confident that arms were loaded onto this ship and I would bet my life that this claim is correct,” the ambassador also said in a video released by Newzroom Africa, a local news channel also present at the press conference was present.
“The arming of the Russians is extremely serious and we do not consider this issue resolved and we would like SA to do so [begin] “We are practicing their non-aligned policy,” he said, according to both news agencies.
The presence of the mysterious cargo ship ‘Lady R’ sparked considerable speculation when it docked at the naval base in Simon’s Town near Cape Town in December last year. Cargo ships routinely call at Cape Town’s civilian port, not at the naval base.
At the time, opposition MP and shadow defense minister Kobus Marais said in a statement that goods had been unloaded from and loaded onto ships during the night hours, and demanded answers from the government.
The US Treasury Department for Control of Foreign Assets placed the Lady R on its sanctions list in May last year along with a host of other Russian-flagged cargo ships for alleged arms shipments.
The South African Presidency called the explosive allegations “disappointing” and warned that the comments undermine “the spirit of cooperation and partnership” between US and South African officials who discussed the matter.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement late Thursday that no evidence had been provided to support these claims and that the government intended to launch an independent investigation into the matter.
“Recent talks between the South African delegation and US officials discussed the Lady R affair and agreed that an investigation should be allowed to proceed and that US intelligence will release any evidence in its possession “, read the statement.
CNN asked Presidential Spokesman Vincent Magwenya why an investigation into events at South Africa’s own naval base was needed.
“US intelligence said they had evidence that they would only give us as part of a credible investigation or investigation. “We take the allegations seriously and would like to have a credible independent voice presenting the actual facts,” he said.
“Otherwise we risk a series of allegations and denials that will not be helpful in the context of our bilateral relationship.”
It is unusual for a US ambassador to South Africa to make such public allegations against the government.
The South African government has been heavily criticized for its stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has regularly abstained from votes condemning Russia at the United Nations General Assembly.
While the South African leadership has repeatedly stated that it is neutral in the conflict and has frequently called for a negotiated solution, its actions have come under increasing scrutiny from Western powers.
In February of this year, South Africa convened naval war games off its coast, in which both the Russian and Chinese militaries participated.
Later this year, South Africa will host the BRICS summit, a coalition of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Russian President Vladimir Putin was invited to this summit.
After Putin was indicted on alleged war crimes charges in March, South African officials reversed their public commitment to the Rome Statute — the treaty that obliges signatory states to arrest those indicted by the court.
While South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party has an ideological history with Russia and the former Soviet Union, the European Union and the United States are far larger trading partners.