The US has expressed concern after claiming that a Russian ro-ro loaded weapons in South Africa last year.
US ambassador Reuben Brigety said the vessel was Transmorflot’s 375-lane-metre Lady R (built 2004).
He believes the incident has called into question South Africa’s declared neutrality on the Ukraine war.
The claim prompted the South African government to order an independent inquiry, the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement, according to Reuters.
The rand and 2030 government bonds fell in value as currency traders said they were worried the country could now face Western sanctions.
Ramaphosa did not confirm or deny the shipment took place when an opposition leader asked him about it in parliament.
The Lady R was sold to Transmorflot in 2019 by Sloman Neptun of Germany.
Brigety told local journalists in a briefing that Washington was confident a Russian vessel had loaded weapons and ammunition from South Africa.
“Amongst the things we noted were the docking of the Russian cargo ship Lady R in Simon’s Town between 6 and 8 December, which we are confident uploaded weapons, ammunitions … as it made its way back to Russia,” he said.
‘Unacceptable’
“Arming of Russia by South Africa with the vessel … is fundamentally unacceptable.”
US state department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters that the government had serious concerns and had raised the issue directly with multiple South African officials.
South Africa’s government said the matter had already been discussed with the US, which had agreed to let an investigation run its course, and no evidence had yet been provided by Washington.
“The ambassador’s remarks undermine the spirit of cooperation and partnership that characterised the recent engagements between US government officials and a South African official delegation,” Ramaphosa’s office added.
Sanctioned Transmorflot could not immediately be contacted for comment.
