Cape Town - Russian battleship which has docked in Cape Town Harbour is not welcome in the Mother City, mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has said.
The frigate Admiral Gorshkov arrived on Monday morning before setting off to take part in a naval exercise with its South African and Chinese counterparts along the KwaZulu-Natal coast later this week.
The Russian government tweeted yesterday: “Cape Town hosts #Russian frigate ‘Admiral Gorshkov’. The battleship arrived in the Mother City on its way to Durban, where it will take part in joint naval drills scheduled from February 17 to 27.”
Cape Town hosts #Russian frigate "Admiral Gorshkov". The battleship arrived in the Mother City on its way to Durban where it will take part in joint 🇿🇦-🇨🇳-🇷🇺 naval drills scheduled for February 17-27. pic.twitter.com/RrByExX9H8
— ГК РФ в Кейптауне (@RusConsCapetown) February 13, 2023
Hill-Lewis, however, denied the City was “hosting” the Russians, replying in a retweet: “We are not hosting this warship, nor is it welcome in the Mother City.
“Cape Town will not be complicit in Russia’s evil war. @PresidencyZA must answer for his complicity.”
We are not hosting this warship, nor is it welcome in the Mother City. Cape Town will not be complicit in Russia's evil war. @PresidencyZA must answer for his complicity. #RWSGFY #VoetsekRussianWarship https://t.co/3XOu82xOAL
— Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) February 13, 2023
Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor defended the exercise last month, saying, “all countries conduct military exercises with friends worldwide”.
SANDF spokesperson Brigadier General Andries Mokoena Mahapa said: “As a means to strengthen the already flourishing relations between South Africa, Russia and China, a multinational maritime exercise between these three countries termed Exercise Mosi will take place in Durban and Richards Bay areas of KwaZulu-Natal province over 17 to 27 February 2023.”
This will be the second time such an exercise is taking place involving the three naval forces. The first one was held in November 2019 in Cape Town.
This year’s Exercise Mosi will involve more than 350 SANDF personnel from various Arms of Services and Divisions participating alongside the Russian and Chinese counterparts with the purpose of sharing operational skills and knowledge.
While the Cyril Ramaphosa’s ANC government has advocated for diplomacy as a means to resolving the one-year conflict in the Ukraine, Hill-Lewis’s DA party has called for sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion.
DA Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Affairs Kobus Marais previously said: “It is an awkward time in global geopolitical history due to the Russian war in Ukraine and the devastation of civilian targets in Ukraine.
“While our government has claimed to be neutral, this is just another of many incidents where the ANC has clearly exposed their favouritism towards Russia.”