South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his speech during the 2023 state-of-the-nation address (SONA) at the Cape Town City Hall in Cape Town on February 9, 2023.
South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has created a panel to look into claims made by the US that a Russian ship sailed to a naval base near Cape Town last year and transferred weapons. This was announced in a statement released by the president on Sunday, May 28.
"The President decided to establish the inquiry because of the seriousness of the allegations, the extent of public interest, and the impact of this matter on South Africa's international relations," as stated in a press release.
Report That Russian Ship Landed in Cape Town to Take Weaponry
While South Africa has refuted the allegations, US Ambassador Reuben Brigety claimed on May 11 that he was confident a Russian ship arrived at a military port in Simonstown in the Western Cape in December last year and had taken onboard weapons from South Africa.
According to NBC News, South Africa's non-aligned stance on the Ukraine crisis has been put into doubt in the wake of the allegations that sparked a diplomatic spat involving the nation, the US, and Russia.
Despite its claims of being impartial, South Africa has consistently voted against anti-war resolutions at the United Nations.
Reportedly, President Ramaphosa established the probe due to the severity of the claims, public interest, and the effect on South Africa's foreign relations.
President Appointed Three-Person Independent Team to Investigate
Judge Phineas Mojapelo, a former deputy judge president of Gauteng province, will preside over the three-person panel. Former evidence leader for a state corruption investigation Advocate Leah Gcabashe and former deputy minister of basic education Enver Surty make up the other two members. The committee has been given six weeks to complete its probe.
The terms of reference for the panel include determining who was aware of the cargo ship's presence, the goods that were loaded and off-loaded, and "whether constitutional, legal or other obligations were complied with in relation to the cargo ship's arrival."
A final report is scheduled to be sent to President Ramaphosa within two weeks after the conclusion of the probe.
"The panel will finalize its investigation within six weeks of its appointment and will be expected to submit its report to the president within two weeks of concluding its work ... The panel may request an extension of this time frame should it be necessary," the president's statement indicated.
If the study is completed on schedule, Bloomberg said it might be presented to the president before August's BRICs Summit in South Africa. The said event includes Russian President Vladimir Putin and is another political affair that could undermine the rand currency.