Background

On the 11th of May, U. S. Ambassador Reuben Brigety accused South Africa of supplying military equipment to Russia. This accusation arose after a cargo ship, Lady R, was linked to a sanctioned company that docked secretly at a naval base near the city of Cape Town. Despite a lack of evidence, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed an independent body to investigate. The accusation comes at a time of increasing South African-Russian relations. If the alleged arms trade with Russia is proven to be accurate, it will significantly threaten South Africa’s relationship with the United States, a key trading partner in Africa.