South Africa says inquiry finds no evidence of arms shipment to Russia

An autarkic enquiry has recovered nary grounds that South Africa supplied weapons to Russia, President Cyril Ramaphosa has said.

The sheet rejected claims made by the US ambassador to South Africa that a Russian vessel was loaded with ammunition and arms successful Cape Town past December.

The allegations had raised questions implicit the country's professed neutrality successful the warfare with Ukraine.

Mr Ramaphosa said it had damaged the nation's currency and reputation.

"The sheet recovered that determination was nary grounds to enactment the assertion that the vessel transported weapons from South Africa destined for Russia," the president said successful a televised code to the federation connected Sunday.

"No licence was issued for the export of arms and nary arms were exported."

The enquiry recovered alternatively that the Russian cargo vessel had delivered a consignment of weapons from Russia to South Africa, ordered successful 2018.

Ambassador Reuben Brigety's claims referred to the docking of Lady R successful the Simon's Town naval basal betwixt 6 and 8 December 2022.

He told a media briefing successful Pretoria successful May helium was "confident" weapons and ammunition were loaded to the vas "as it made its mode backmost to Russia".

A time later, South Africa's overseas ministry said Mr Brigety had "apologised unreservedly" for the claims.

Writing connected societal media aft the meeting, Mr Brigety said helium was "grateful for the accidental to... close immoderate misimpressions near by my nationalist remarks".

Mr Ramaphosa ordered an autarkic judge-led enquiry successful the aftermath of Mr Brigety's comments.

"None of the persons who made these allegations could supply immoderate grounds to enactment the claims that had been levelled against our country," Mr Ramaphosa said pursuing the inquiry's conclusion.

The president volition lone beryllium releasing an enforcement summary of the report, for information reasons.

The enquiry had visited the naval base, heard from astir 50 radical and reviewed much than 100 documents, Mr Ramaphosa added.

South Africa has sought to support affable relations with Russia since its penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022, drafting disapproval from the US and different Western nations.

It is 1 of lone a fistful of nations that has abstained from a fig of UN votes connected the conflict, refusing to publically condemn Russia connected the matter.

The US has antecedently raised concerns astir associated naval exercises betwixt Russia and South Africa.