Africa-Press – South-Africa. The cloud of secrecy over the report into Russian vessel Lady R, which caused much outrage when it docked at the Simon’s Town naval base in December last year, raises transparency and accountability concerns, according to the Campaign for Free Expression (CFE).
On Monday, the CFE called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to release the report in the interest of the public, the Constitution and international relations.
It landed on Ramaphosa’s desk on Friday.
His spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said the president would study the document first and that some parts could be publicised.
This, despite a previous announcement that the report would be kept confidential due to national security concerns.
The CFE said it was concerned that interviews, evidence-gathering and hearings had taken place “behind closed doors, raising concerns about the lack of openness in the process”.
Judge Phineas Mojapelo presided over the inquiry into the vessel’s docking and the CFE asked him in June to conduct the hearings publicly in the interest of transparency.
“CFE urges President Ramaphosa to align with constitutional principles and practise maximum transparency in the interest of credibility and to bring closure to the ongoing controversy,” CFE executive director Anton Harber said.
The inquiry was launched after US Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety alleged that the vessel, which docked to offload equipment for the South Africa National Defence Force (SANDF), had loaded arms from South Africa.
The allegation sparked fierce political debate and suspicion over South Africa’s position on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
News24’s sister publication City Press reported that the inquiry found that Lady R did not load the country’s weapons and ammunition on the ship.
The publication cited a source privy to the contents of the investigation report, which said the ship had loaded food and other supplies for its return trip to Russia.
It reported that the primary cargo that the ship had brought to Simon’s Town was an old arms order that the SANDF had placed with Russia before the Covid-19 pandemic, consisting largely of lighter weapons and ammunition.
It said it was finally delivered in December last year.
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