SOUTH Africa’s presidential security adviser, Sydney Mufamadi, has confirmed the country’s stance of ‘actively non-aligned’ in Russia’s war against Ukraine. The announcement comes in the wake of allegations that South Africa had supplied weapons to Moscow, causing a diplomatic crisis.
Reuben Brigety, the US ambassador to South Africa, stated he had ‘profound concerns’ about the country’s policy of non-alignment after senior US officials claimed that a Russian ship had collected weapons from a base near Cape Town in December. However, Mufamadi emphasised that South Africa is neutral in the conflict and is actively working to bring such conflicts to an end. He stated, ‘Our contribution will always be calculated at helping the parties and everybody else to bring such conflicts to an end.’
President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy after Mufamadi’s announcement. Zelenskiy urged Ramaphosa to help implement Kyiv’s peace plan to end the war, but Russia rejects the basic tenets of the document, which calls on Russia to quit all the land it has occupied. South Africa has abstained from voting on UN resolutions condemning the war, and recent events, including naval exercises with Russia and China this year and hosting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, have raised questions about South Africa’s stance. However, Mufamadi stated that the country’s policy of neutrality would continue.
Brigety’s comments led to a diplomatic fallout and a 4.7 percent plunge in the local currency, as concerns grew over potential sanctions on the country. After a meeting between Brigety and foreign minister Naledi Pandor on Friday, the ambassador offered an apology and clarification. A government statement said: ‘The ambassador admitted that he crossed the line and apologised unreservedly to the government and the people of South Africa.’
