A diplomatic row is brewing following US accusations that South Africa is supplying arms to Russia in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The accusations were made by the US ambassador to South Africa who claimed that the government has been selling weapons to Russia.
According to the US Ambassador, Reuben Brigety, a Russian ship was loaded with munitions and weapons in Cape Town last December.
The office of President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa said it was disappointed by the assertions and that no proof had been offered to back them up.
These accusations come at a time when South Africa has continued to maintain its neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
Mr Brigety claimed at a press conference in Pretoria on Thursday that Washington was concerned about the country’s declared non-aligned stance on the crisis.
He referred to the landing of a cargo ship in the Simon’s Town naval facility between December 6 and 8, last year, during which he was “confident” weapons and ammunition were uploaded “as it made its way back to Russia.”
The presence of the ship, the Lady R, had seemed unusual at the time, prompting some local politicians to raise concerns, according to local media reports.
“The Russians’ arming is extremely serious, and we do not consider this issue to be resolved,” Mr Brigety said, in a devastating claim that appears to have caught South African officials off guard.
Following the allegations, local media reports indicate that the South African government has announced the formation of an independent probe to be overseen by a retired judge, according to a spokesman for the president’s office.
For months, the US has been sceptical of South Africa’s continued warm relationship with Russia.
On Thursday, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters that the US has previously voiced concerns about the Lady R with a number of South African officials.
He said the US would speak out against “any country taking steps to support Russia’s illegal and brutal war in Ukraine,” but he did not indicate whether South Africa would face consequences if the charges were proven to be accurate.
Washington is also concerned about South Africa’s involvement in military exercises with Russia and China on the anniversary of Ukraine’s invasion.
The 10-day naval exercises in February were denounced by opposition figures as a support of the Russian invasion.
South African authorities disputed that the war simulations were deliberately scheduled to coincide with the one-year anniversary, and claimed that the country often holds similar drills with other nations, including France and the United States.
South Africa earlier voted against the invasion in a UN vote. It also declined to join the United States and Europe in sanctioning Russia.
In answer to a question from opposition leader John Steenhuisen, President Ramaphosa assured parliament on Thursday that the comments made by the US ambassador would be investigated.
The president requested opposition parties to give the process time to finish, adding that “in time, we will be able to speak about it.”
If the charges are true, they not only undermine South Africa’s claim of neutrality, but some may also argue that the government is involved in Russia’s ongoing assault in Ukraine.
“If South African bullets are found on Ukraine bodies, that is not a position we would want to be in,” said one international relations specialist.
The details surrounding the arms stockpile are still sketchy. It is unclear whether the firearms were obtained from a state-owned arms corporation or a South African weapons company.
In any case, this does not auger well for South Africa’s international relations, particularly with the United States, one of its most important trading partners.
The issue for South Africa now, as a result of these claims, will be the impression that the country is not only non-aligned but has chosen to be a “soft ally” to Russia, at a time when some Western countries see Russia as an aggressor guilty of human rights violations.
South Africa has modern links with Russia since both countries are members of the Brics alliance, which includes some of the world’s biggest growing economies such as China, Brazil, and India.
The African National Congress (ANC), the country’s ruling party, has long had connections with Russia.
In March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, putting South Africa in a diplomatic bind.
He is charged with war crimes in Ukraine, including the illegal deportation of children.
Mr Putin was scheduled to attend a Brics conference in South Africa in August, but the warrant required Pretoria to arrest him upon his arrival.
In response, Mr Ramaphosa stated last month that the ANC had decided that South Africa should withdraw from the ICC, only to retract his statement hours later, alleging a communications “error.”
South Africa used to have a booming arms industry, selling weapons to countries all over the continent. The magnitude of that military power is currently unknown.
South African officials have expressed dissatisfaction with the US ambassador’s accusation, claiming that the problem should have been addressed through regular diplomatic procedures.
It is not enough for the envoy to merely declare the existence of the intelligence, and many South Africans will expect the US to offer evidence to back up its claim.
This is a repercussion of the United States’ accusations of having weapons of mass destruction, which led to the invasion of Iraq a few years ago.
