By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) says the US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, had “admitted that he crossed a line” and “apologised unreservedly” after he said a Russian ship had picked up weapons in South Africa.
Brigety said on Thursday he was confident that a Russian ship under U.S. sanctions took abroad weapons from the Simon’s Town base in December, suggesting the transfer was not in line with Pretoria’s stance of neutrality in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
He was summoned on Friday by the department, which “expressed the government’s utter displeasure with his conduct and statements made yesterday”.
In a statement, Dirco said, “We conveyed our displeasure with his conduct and he admitted that he crossed the line and apologised unreservedly.”
“The relations between the USA & South Africa are cordial, strong and mutually beneficial. We reaffirmed our commitment to continue to work together for the benefit of the people of the two countries.”
“There’s a commitment to use established diplomatic channels to raise whatever issue may arise in the management of the bilateral relations between the two countries,” read the statement.
Dirco added that, Minister Naledi Pandor also spoke to her counterpart, US Secretary Anthony Blinken.
“As previously stated, the National Conventional Arms Control Committee has not approved any sale of arms to Russia related to the period and incident in question.”
Western diplomats were alarmed at South Africa carrying out naval exercises with Russia and China this year, and at the timing of a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
South Africa is one of Russia’s most important allies on a continent divided over its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but says it is impartial and has abstained from voting on U.N. resolutions on the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday had discussed the conflict in Ukraine in a phone call with President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Kremlin said.
Ramaphosa’s office said that an inquiry led by a retired judge would look into the U.S. allegation. On Friday, minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said South Africa had not approved any arms shipment to Russia in December.
The ministry of defence said on Friday it would give its side of the story to the government’s inquiry.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Friday declined to get into the specific allegations against South Africa, but reiterated Washington’s position about any country aiding the Russian war effort.
After leaving Simon’s Town, Refinitiv shipping data showed the vessel, the “Lady R”, sailed north to Mozambique, spending Jan. 7 to 11 in the port of Beira before continuing to Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
It arrived in the Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea on Feb. 16, the data showed.
The United States placed the Lady R and Transmorflot LLC, the shipping company it is linked to, under sanctions in May 2022 on the grounds the company transports weapons for the (government of Russia)”.
Washington has warned that countries providing material support to Russia may be denied access to U.S. markets.