The Democratic Alliance (DA) says President Cyril Ramaphosa must act accordingly after investigations are concluded into last year’s alleged docking of a Russian vessel in the Western Cape.
A three-member independent panel has six weeks to investigate claims made by the United States ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety that a Russian ship had taken weapons and ammunition on board.
The DA’s shadow minister of Defence Kobus Marais says, “Whoever gave the instructions and not just somebody to throw under the bus, we really hope that this will bring to the fore the realities and facts and that the president will act accordingly…”
“It is only a handful of people who know exactly what happened. We must know what was the involvement of DIRCO in this and the Department of Defence? Why did they authorise the Lady R to bypass official points of entry, for instance in CTN?” says Marais.
However, the South African government has denied the allegations and set up the panel composed of the retired Judge Phineas Mojapelo as the chairperson, the chairperson of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates, Leah Gcabashe as well as the former Basic Education deputy minister Enver Surty.
DA reacts to President Ramaphosa’s Russian vessel investigation panel
