The recent accusations made by US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, accusing the country of supplying Russia with arms and ammunition to aid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, have been met with a strong response from African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa spoke out against the allegations during the party’s National Working Committee’s visit to KwaZulu-Natal, describing them as a “distasteful attack” on South Africa. He emphasized that South Africa was not taking sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and urged both countries to resolve their dispute through negotiations.
The president also highlighted that an envoy sent to the US had already explained to their US partners that the docking of a Russian cargo ship in Cape Town last year was being investigated, and that meetings between the two sides had been cordial with agreements made on processes to address the matter.
However, Ramaphosa expressed surprise that the US ambassador had made the accusations against South Africa despite these discussions. He called on the US to provide evidence to support their claims and reiterated South Africa’s commitment to peace and stability in the region.