South Africa summons US ambassador over weapons for Russia allegations

South Africa’s foreign ministry summoned the U.S. Ambassador to a meeting Friday over his claims a day earlier that the country had supplied Russia with weaponry and ammunition for its war in Ukraine.

South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor will also speak with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to a tweet by spokesman Clayson Monyela.

At a press briefing Thursday, U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety said South Africa transferred weapons and ammunition onto a sanctioned Russian vessel at Simon’s Town Naval Base near Cape Town in December. Brigety said Russia received the guns.

“We (the U.S.) are confident that weapons were loaded into that vessel and I would bet my life on the accuracy of that assertion,” Brigety added. “Fundamentally unacceptable” was South Africa’s “arming” of Russia.

After Brigety’s comments, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed an investigation into Lady R’s December visit. Ramaphosa said that probe had begun before Brigety’s accusation and would use U.S. intelligence authorities’ arms evidence.

His administration said there was “no evidence” that weaponry were placed onto the ship in South Africa. “No record of an approved arms sale by the state to Russia related to the period/incident in question,” the foreign ministry said Friday.

The Lady R visited the South African naval base from Dec. 6-8, as Brigety alleged. The AP found that the Lady R is linked to a U.S.-sanctioned corporation that transports Russian armaments and aids its war campaign.

The issue might damage U.S.-African relations. Monyela claimed South Africa will “demarche” Brigety over his charges. South Africa “values the relations we have with the United States of America,” Monyela tweeted. They’re friendly, robust, and beneficial.”

Ramaphosa’s office blasted Brigety on Thursday for publicizing the claims.

Since Africa’s most prosperous nation abstained in a UN vote condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, the U.S. and other Western nations have been concerned about South Africa’s posture. South Africa said it will remain impartial and seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

After hosting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in January and allowing Russian and Chinese warships to drill off its east coast in February, critics said South Africa had sided with Russia. Russia invaded Ukraine one year prior to the drills.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest order for Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the South African government has said it will not arrest him if he travels for a BRICS summit in August.

If Putin enters South Africa, the international court requires his arrest.

Russia and South Africa have a history because the former Soviet Union supported the current African National Congress when it was a liberation movement battling apartheid.