Premium – FT Editorial Board: SA’s arms to Russia undercuts supposedly neutral stance

Premium – FT Editorial Board: SA’s arms to Russia undercuts supposedly neutral stance

There are three possible explanations for the diplomatic storm that has broken out between South Africa and the US after Washington’s ambassador alleged that armaments had been loaded on to a ship docked in South Africa and bound for Russia.
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By The Editorial Board of the Financial Times of London

There are three possible explanations for the diplomatic storm that has broken out between South Africa and the US after Washington's ambassador alleged that armaments had been loaded on to a ship docked in South Africa and bound for Russia.

Two of these reflect miserably on Pretoria and the ruling African National Congress. The first is that Cyril Ramaphosa's government really had no idea that arms were being loaded on to the Lady R in Simon's Town last December. That would be a shocking admission, since it is supposed to be a secure military base. But given the dysfunctionality of the ANC and the levels of corruption and criminality that have permeated core state institutions, it is not entirely implausible.

___STEADY_PAYWALL___

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