South Africa to investigate U.S. allegations of arms shipment to Russia

FILE PHOTO: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa replies to questions in parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, May 11, 2023. REUTERS/Esa Alexander/File Photo

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a panel to investigate U.S. allegations that a Russian ship had collected weapons from a naval base near Cape Town last year, the presidency said in a statement on Sunday.

The U.S. ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety said on May 11 that he was confident that a Russian ship, which docked at a naval base in Simonstown in the Western Cape in December last year, took aboard weapons from South Africa. An allegation South Africa has since denied.