South Africa didn’t know a US-sanctioned Russian ship carried its military purchases, inquiry finds

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A presidential inquiry in South Africa has found government officials didn’t know a U.S.-sanctioned Russian ship was assigned to deliver military equipment to the country until the vessel neared national waters. U.S. Ambassador Reuben Brigety accused South Africa in May of having weapons intended for Russia loaded on to the Lady R near Cape Town in December. South Africa denied there was a government-approved deal to ship weapons to Russia. An executive summary of the inquiry findings released Tuesday night stated that the ship offloaded military equipment but no weapons were loaded onto it. The panel said South African officials had no say in how the equipment ordered from the United Arab Emirates was transported.