Page 14 - Simons Town News Today

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday said the contents of the shipment carried on the Lady R were kept secret so as to not compromise the work or the safety of South Africa’s security forces.

President Cyril Ramaphosa was again grilled about the docking of the vessel in Simons Town despite an independent panel clearing the government of selling weapons to Russia.

The probe into the tragic accident will commence on October 11 until November 10.

Lieutenant commander Gillian Hector, master warrant officer William Mathipa, and warrant officer Mmokwapa Mojela died after being swept off the SAS Manthatisi submarine in rough seas last week.

The three-member independent panels investigation of the docking of the sanctioned Russian ship in Simons Town came after US Ambassador Reuben Brigety claimed it was used by South Africa to supply weapons to Russia.

The report also said the South African National Defence Force was not aware that the cargo ship was under US sanctions until it reached South African waters

US Ambassador to South Africa Rueben Brigety claimed in May that South Africa supplied Russia with arms in December through the Lady R cargo vessel, which a panel investigation report has since debunked.

"The panel found that there was no evidence to support the claim that the ship transported weapons from South Africa destined for Russia", President Ramaphosa said on Sept. 03. South Africas Rand crashed after the US accused Pretoria of arming Russia.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa gave a televised address on Sunday, September 3, asserting that an independent investigation found that no arm...

GOOD SG says the US ambassador created a diplomatic storm and he must take ownership of his comments