Cape Town, Sept 6, (dpa/GNA) – A special commission of inquiry in South Africa, has rebutted allegations of arms deliveries to Russia.
The inquiry had investigated a Russian freighter, Lady R, suspected of docking in South Africa and bringing arms deliveries back to Russia. The report, published on Tuesday evening, said the freighter had delivered a shipment to the South African military that had been delayed for years.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, demanded the inquiry after questions were raised about the ship.
Lady R docked at the Simon’s Town naval base near Cape Town last December, and switched off its transponders. The US ambassador to South Africa then accused the country in May of supplying arms for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The three-member investigative team, led by a judge, found in the report, dated August, that the Lady R had unloaded secret armaments for the South African army, that the country had ordered years ago from a company based in the United Arab Emirates.
The delivery had been expected in 2018, but was delayed due to Covid-19 and the Ukraine war, said the report’s summary, published on Tuesday.
“South Africa in fact had no control over the selection of the vessel.”
The fact that the Lady R was under US sanctions because of Russia’s war, only emerged in October, when the ship had already set sail, it said.
“Despite some rumours that some equipment or arms were loaded on the Lady R, the panel found no evidence to substantiate those claims,” said the report summary.
GNA
RA
6 Sept, 2023
FPOL 003
Politics Gabon Bongo
Gabon’s ousted President Ali Bongo can go abroad for medical checks
LIBREVILLE, Sept. 6 (Xinhua/GNA) — Ousted Gabonese President Ali Bongo, can go abroad for medical checkups, according to the country’s transitional government.
“Given his state of health, the former President of the Republic Ali Bongo Ondimba, is free to move. He can, if he wishes, go abroad to carry out his medical checks,” Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi, spokesperson for the transitional government, said Wednesday in a statement “signed” by Brice Oligui Nguema, who was sworn in on Monday as transitional President.
On Wednesday, last week, a group of military officers appointed Nguema, commander-in-chief of the Gabonese Republican Guard, to head the transition after launching a coup earlier in the day, following the announcement of the reelection of President Ali Bongo Ondimba by the national electoral body. In his remarks on Monday, the transitional leader, 48, noted that the military took “their responsibilities” in the face of an “outrageously biased electoral process,” referring to the coup. “The defense and security forces of our country took their responsibilities by refusing the electoral coup,” he explained.
Nguema promised a new constitution by referendum, a new electoral code, and a reliable penal code. He also promised to “return power to civilians” and hold “free” and “transparent” elections after the transition, without specifying the election date and duration of the transition. According to Nguema, a new government “made up of experienced people and people with seasoned skills” will be implemented in the coming days.
Bongo, 64, once served as minister of defense and other posts in the government. He was elected president of Gabon in 2009, and was reelected in 2016. He was under house arrest, while some of his advisers and senior officials, including his son Noureddin Bongo Valentin, were said to have been arrested for treason, embezzlement and corruption, among other allegations.
Gabon’s leading opposition group, Alternance 2023, which claims to be the winner of the elections on Aug. 26, has called on the international community to encourage the junta to hand power back to civilians.
GNA
RA
6 Sep