South African and US officials are scrambling to patch up relations after US ambassador Reuben Brigety accused SA of selling arms to Russia this week, setting off a chain of events that threatens SA's lucrative trade and diplomatic ties with the world's superpowers.
But after three days of claims and counterclaims, there were more questions than answers as South African government sources insisted the US claim was untrue and demanded concrete proof from the US that the Russian-registered vessel Lady R loaded arms for Russia during a secretive visit to Simon’s Town naval base last year.
Such is the importance of the issue that Russian President Vladimir Putin called President Cyril Ramaphosa amid the drama on Friday, while international relations minister Naledi Pandor took a call from US secretary of state Antony Blinken.
Statements after both calls spoke only of strengthening ties and did not address the Lady R matter directly.
Yesterday, at a media briefing during a visit to ANC structures in KwaZulu-Natal, Ramaphosa confirmed that the issue was raised by the US administration during a visit to Washington by his national security adviser Sydney Mufamadi.
Ramaphosa said the US claims were discussed in the meeting and were “very cordial”.
“We wanted to demonstrate we take this matter seriously, including our relationship with the US. We spoke of the processes we will embark on,’’ Ramaphosa said, referring to the inquiry headed by a judge he has instituted to get to the bottom of the matter.
Ramaphosa said ambassador Brigety had been present in those meetings. “Now, surprise, surprise, we come back and he accuses us; he launches an attack.”
He said the ambassador had apologised for his statements, echoing a statement from the department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) claiming Brigety had “apologised unreservedly” for his comments, which included a complaint against the ANC and a resolution it adopted at its conference in December last year blaming the US for the Russia/Ukraine war.
Yet Brigety, in his version, merely apologised for “misimpressions” left by his remarks.
On Friday, he was called in by Dirco, where Pandor read him the riot act.
Some in government suggested that the US envoy could be expelled from South Africa, with insiders blaming him for the “Sandton terror alert” in which the US warned that South Africa's glitzy consumer capital could be targeted in a terrorist attack that never took place.
Mufamadi said the inquiry announced by Ramaphosa in a statement on Thursday would settle the matter.
Some in government suggested that the US envoy could be expelled from South Africa
The Sunday Times understands Pandor used “strong words” to express her disappointment at Brigety’s conduct after South Africa issued a démarche — the highest diplomatic protest and the first against a top US diplomat — to express its displeasure.
A source with intimate knowledge of the meeting said Pandor expressed her disappointment at the remarks made without proof that South Africa was selling arms to Russia.
“Pandor told him the remarks flew in the face of the good relations between South Africa and the US, and against the co-operation that Dirco has been providing.
“Many meetings were held with the ambassador in which a process of communication was agreed upon between the diplomatic channels and he did not use all of those,” the source said. “When you démarche someone, and especially when it is done by the minister, it shows the seriousness of the matter,” the insider added.
Immediately after expressing her concerns, Pandor left the room to take a phone call from Blinken, and Brigety was left to speak to senior managers in the department.
Brigety partially walked back his remarks after the meeting, tweeting on Friday evening: “I was grateful to speak with foreign minister Pandor and correct any misimpressions left by my public remarks. In our conversation I reaffirmed the strong partnership between our two countries and the important agenda our Presidents have given us.”
A minister who spoke to Sunday Times on condition of anonymity said issuing a démarche sent a strong signal to the US that Brigety could be expelled if he continues to publicly slander the country.
“He’s the first ambassador of a western country to be demarched in the history of this country, including during apartheid. If he continues, we’re going to expel him.”
The senior politician said it was not the first time Brigety had behaved in this fashion, and they were growing tired of him.
“The terror alert, it was him. We call him a megaphone diplomat and it’s not acceptable.”
The US embassy yesterday refused to elaborate further on the matter, but it is understood there were huge diplomatic efforts on both sides to arrive at a compromise.
Government officials were adamant the US got its intelligence wrong, insisting the ship had merely dropped off a pre-Covid arms order for SA special forces.
But Brigety had told reporters on Thursday: “We are confident that weapons were loaded onto that vessel, and I will bet my life on the accuracy of that assertion.”
Two sources within law enforcement said South Africa does not have the capacity to build the calibre of arms required by Russia.
“We don’t have arms for ourselves, so we are not in a position to supply Russia. Where [would] we get that capacity?
Another source close to the defence force said the US was trying to force South Africa to end its ties with Russia by any means possible.
We don’t have arms for ourselves, so we are not in a position to supply Russia. Where [would] we get that capacity?
— Source within law enforcement
“The only possibility that exists is Russia is giving us military equipment, rather than us giving them.”
The source said there was a Chinese naval task force consisting of a long-range missile destroyer (a ship), a cargo ship and a nuclear-powered submarine, due to dock in Simon's Town soon.
“The task force is coming from its routine international sea patrol alongside a hostile Nato task force. This is normal international practice among navies.
"Before that, a French naval destroyer will dock in Simon's Town. My suspicion is that the US is trying to force us, or bully the country, into discussing the details of the Chinese task force and commit to distancing ourselves from any relations with Russia.”
Defence spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said all information would be tabled at the inquiry.
Amid the drama, Pretoria and Moscow appeared to deepen ties on Friday. The Kremlin said Putin had, at the request of SA, fielded a call with Ramaphosa.
“The topical issues of the Russian-South African strategic partnership were discussed. The mood was expressed for further activation of mutually beneficial ties in various fields,” the Kremlin said.
The arms claims battered the rand which traded at a low of R19.52c against the dollar on Friday.
The controversy is also threatening trade relations, heightening calls for South Africa to be excluded from preferential access to US markets via the Africa Growth & Opportunity Act (Agoa) which is up for renewal in 2025.
The US is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade amounting to R400bn.
Another senior government official who spoke to the Sunday Times denounced threats to exclude SA from Agoa.
“The impression they are trying to create that we need Agoa at all costs is bulls**t. [Rather,] they need us because they can’t enter Africa without us, they can’t operate in any other African country without operating from South Africa.
"Their companies cannot be stationed in those countries because they know the rules of engagement are rough there, tax laws can change any time there.”
Brigety’s press conference took place a week after Mufamadi went to the US to meet senior officials of the Biden administration and some US politicians to smooth out differences. It is believed the Americans shared the intelligence which had led them to believe that arms were loaded onto the Lady R.
It is understood that Mufamadi’s delegation was met by junior officials of the SA embassy in Washington as ambassador Nomaindia Mfeketo has been back home for months, while her second in command is also out of action.
“When Mufamadi and his delegation arrived, he was met by a wall of junior officials as the ambassador wasn’t there. She has been away for at least two months; we hear that she is sick.
“To make matters worse, the senior official in New York (the consulate) is under suspension, so when I say we’ve not been in contact with the Americans I’m not exaggerating. Protocol dictates that the ambassador speaks to the government there,” said an embassy official who spoke anonymously.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.