Cape Town – DA MP Willem Faber has reportedly said that his party believes President Cyril Ramaphosa and his administration were aware of the alleged sale of weapons to Russia.
US ambassador to SA Reuben Brigety alleged that South Africa covertly provided arms to Russia, a charge that drew an angry rebuke from Pretoria.
He told a media briefing last week that the US believed a Russian ship, Lady R, was loaded with weapons while docked at Simon’s Town naval base in Cape Town in December.
“We are confident that weapons were loaded onto that vessel and I would bet my life on the accuracy of that assertion,” Brigety said, according to a video of the remarks.
“The arming of Russia by South Africa … is fundamentally unacceptable.”
Brigety was on Friday summoned to explain his conduct after Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela said the government had expressed its “utter displeasure” at the ambassador’s statements.
A statement released by Dirco after the démarche said that Brigety “admitted that he crossed the line and apologised unreservedly” for his comments.
According to SABC, Faber said: “I can tell you now that they knew and if you are the commander in chief of a country like Ramaphosa, it is obvious Ramaphosa knew by that time about what was going on and the questions that he was asked, and that he told to the country.
“We knew it would have a negative effect on the SA economy towards the West, were just never answered.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
