The US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, apologized for accusing the country of selling weapons to Russia. Last year, a Russian freighter docked at a Cape Town naval base and Brigety claimed that weapons had been loaded onto the ship. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced an inquiry and Brigety’s accusation caused a diplomatic uproar. However, Brigety recently admitted that he crossed a line and apologized for his remark. South Africa has strong economic and trade ties with the United States and Europe, while its relationship with Russia is comparatively smaller.
The Lady R, a cargo vessel under western sanctions flying a Russian flag, docked at South Africa’s largest naval base in December. It officially offloaded an old order of ammunition but Brigety claimed that intelligence showed weaponry was loaded onto the vessel before it headed back to Russia. Despite refusing to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, South Africa emphasizes the importance of dialogue as a means to resolve the conflict.
