On Thursday, the U.S. ambassador to South Africa made a startling accusation, claiming that the country had supplied weapons and ammunition to Russia for its war in Ukraine. The alleged transfer took place through a covert operation involving a cargo ship that secretly docked at a naval base near Cape Town for three days in December. The comments made by Ambassador Reuben Brigety were reported by multiple South African news outlets, prompting questions in the country's parliament and an ongoing investigation initiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
President Ramaphosa, who was in Cape Town addressing parliamentary inquiries at the time, responded to queries about the weapons and ammunition by stating that an investigation was underway and more information would be shared in due course. Declining to provide further details, Ramaphosa emphasized the need for the investigation to run its course.
During the parliamentary session, John Steenhuisen, the leader of the political opposition, directly confronted the president, asking whether South Africa was actively arming Russian soldiers involved in the conflict and if "weapons of war" had indeed been loaded onto the Russian ship.
The shortage of ammunition supplies has posed challenges for Russia in its war efforts. Last week, the leader of the Russian private army, Wagner, alleged that his mercenary soldiers in Ukraine were facing dire shortages.
In response to the accusations, a statement issued by Ramaphosa's office later that day acknowledged the docking of a Russian ship named the Lady R in South Africa, without specifying the location or purpose of the stop. The statement criticized the U.S. ambassador for making public statements and indicated an agreement for U.S. intelligence services to share any evidence they possess to assist South Africa's investigation.
It is worth noting that both Lady R and the associated Russian company, Transmorflot LLC, were previously sanctioned by the U.S. due to their involvement in the transportation of military equipment and weapons following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Independent verification conducted by the Associated Press confirmed the docking of the Lady R at the Simon's Town naval base during the timeframe mentioned by Ambassador Brigety.