National Security Special Advisor, Sydney Mufamadi will brief the media on Saturday on his recent trip to the United States (US).
Mufamadi was President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Special Envoy that led a South African delegation to reportedly address a resolution of the US House of Representatives, calling on President Joe Biden to review America’s relations with South Africa.
The trip took place as the US ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety claims that his country’s intelligence was confident that arms and ammunition had been loaded onto a Russian ship near Cape Town in December last year.
Professor John Stremlau of Wits University’s International Relations Department believes the two countries are likely talking behind closed doors.
“It’s never too late for diplomatic channels to be rekindled but at the same time, the frustration of having had this visit by the Lady R back in December and no accountability for, apparently it assumed that there have been lots of communications back and forth between Washington and South Africa over concerns that America has been very vocal on and Brigety went public.”
Professor John Stremlau on SA-US relationship:
Meanwhile, a senior US official told SABC News on Thursday that it would be wise for countries to step back from any kind of engagement with the Russian military but would not be drawn on whether any possible punitive measures were being considered.
Washington continues to take a dim view of countries supporting Russia’s aggression in Ukraine saying it would continue to engage on the importance of upholding the UN Charter.
Kremlin issues a readout of a call between Presidents Cyril Ramaphosa and Vladimir Putin:
