Premium RW Johnson: Joining the dots on Lady R – warning to Pretoria about Big Leagues

Premium RW Johnson: Joining the dots on Lady R – warning to Pretoria about Big Leagues

In an in-depth analysis, renowned political scientist RW Johnson joins the arms-to-Russia dots, giving Cyril Ramaphosa fair warning to up his game.
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By RW Johnson*

According to the South African media the firestorm unleashed by the US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, when he accused South Africa of having exported arms and ammunition to Russia aboard the Lady R – and, apparently, also aboard the Russian warship, Admiral Gorshkov – has now burnt itself out since Brigety has "unreservedly apologised" for his remarks.

This, is, however, just very bad journalism. There is no doubt that the ANC government was given a nasty shock by Brigety's remarks. It is not used to being so authoritatively put on the spot here on its own patch. Quite clearly, Ramaphosa didn't at first know what to do – hence the extensive delay before he said anything about the matter.

___STEADY_PAYWALL___

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