South Africa’s ground military force commander has traveled to Moscow for discussions with Russian colleagues, days after Washington claimed South Africa of covertly supplying weapons to Russia.
According to the South African National Defense Force (SANDF), the meeting was “planned well in advance” as part of “a long-standing arrangement” and was a “goodwill visit” at the invitation of the Russian army.
According to a SANDF press release, “the Chief of the SA Army, Lieutenant-General Lawrence Mbatha, is in Moscow for a bilateral between the two military establishments.”
“It must be noted that South Africa has military-to-military bilateral relations with a various countries across the continent and beyond,” it stated. “The SANDF receives numerous military delegations into the country and sends its own delegations to other countries to discuss matters of mutual interest.”
Russian media on Monday claimed that, the South African Army Chief would be leading an entourage to Moscow to discuss “issues relating to military cooperation and interaction.” Mbatha had “visited educational institutions of the ground forces and enterprises of the military-industrial complex” in Russia, the news report disclosed, after the Army Chief’s arrival. “Agreements were reached to further increase cooperation between ground forces in various fields,” Russian news agency averred.
The Army Chief’s visit comes in the wake of diplomatic tension brewing between South Africa and the United States. Last week, the US Ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety alleged that, the US suspected weapons and ammunition were put onboard in a Russian vessel, that sailed in December at a Cape Town naval port.
Brigety claimed that a Russian ship under US embargoes, took ammunitions from the Simon’s Town facility in December, indicating that the move was in contradiction to Pretoria’s neutrality in Russia’s conflict against Ukraine.
South African officials quickly dismissed the US ambassador’s assertions, and also stated that senior US officials have “profound concerns” about South Africa’s declared stance of non-alignment and neutrality, in the wake of Russian aggression in Ukraine.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa reacted angrily to allegations of covert weapons transfers to Russia. Ramaphosa announced that, a probe would be conducted into the allegations of the U.S diplomat.
Other agencies, including the minister in charge of arms control and communications, as well as a foreign ministry spokeswoman stated that, South Africa has not authorized any arms transfer to Russia.
Brigety was summoned by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Naledi Pandor, and he apologized “unreservedly” to the government and people of South Africa, according to a foreign ministry press release.
“I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with Foreign Minister Pandor and correct any misimpressions left by my public remarks,” Brigety stated in a social media post, that did not clarify if he surely rendered apology for his allegations, as said by the foreign Ministry.
However, South Africa’s non-aligned stance, have made them to abstain from voting on any UN resolutions on Russia’s war in Ukraine. Western nations, on the other hand, regard South Africa as one of Moscow’s closest partners on the African continent. South Africa has also declined to denounce Russia’s aggression on Ukraine, claiming that it wishes to remain impartial.
Moreover, following U.S allegations, Russian President Vladimir Putin phoned Ramaphosa and both agreed to “intensify mutually beneficial ties,” sources in the Kremlin said. Amid “extraordinary pressure” to choose sides, Ramaphosa said, his country would not be pulled “into a contest between global powers” over Ukraine.
Additionally, Cyril Ramaphosa also gave a clue that, Vladimir Putin would attend the BRICS leader’s summit scheduled for August in South Africa, though the Kremlin has not confirmed that Putin will attend the BRISCS summit or Join online.
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