By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the government, the president and the party would act against anyone found to have sold arms to Russia.
Mbalula was speaking following the top seven and national working committee’s visit to North West province.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the names of a judicial panel which will investigate allegations that the country supplied arms to Russia.
Ramaphosa appointed former Supreme Court judge, Phineas Mojapelo, to chair the panel to investigate the veracity of allegations related to the docking of the Russian vessel, Lady R, in Simon’s Town in December last year.
Advocate Leah Gcabashe and Enver Surty, former deputy minister of basic education, will assist Mojapelo on the panel, which has been given six weeks to conclude its probe.
The panel’s appointment follows allegations by US Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Bridgety earlier in May.
Mbalula said the country’s anti-war stance has always been clear.
“We have taken a clear position that we are not interested in promoting war and we cannot therefore have an allegation hanging on us that we gave arms to one party in the war situation. We have got to clear our country, it is not a small feat.
“There is a man here called John Steenhuisen from the DA who went and told a reporter from the United Kingdom that he believes that what he saw when he went to Ukraine are arms from South Africa. He said he saw it for himself so what should we do?”
He added that if Ramaphosa failed to act, the allegations would have remained forever.
“Now if the president didn’t do anything about it or investigate and simply say that there are no arms it will remain with us forever.
“If somebody had given arms to Russia during this period, and if the report comes saying Mbalula gave arms to Russia we will act on that, others are simplifying it saying the president should have just gone and checked the slips. We are running a country, not a banana republic.”
Former president Thabo Mbeki said it would be wrong for South Africa to allow anyone to intimidate the country when it comes to its nonalignment stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“They might intimidate you and say, ‘tomorrow, we won’t buy your bananas’, and you succumb, then tomorrow, they are going to say they won’t buy your cars. You can’t open that door.”
He also weighed in on the country being caught in the geopolitical contestation over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mbeki said South Africa can’t arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin who has accepted the country’s invitation for the Brics summit in August, but instead needs to find a solution, which could include hosting the conference virtually or outside of the country.