Cape Town – Minister of Defence Thandi Modise has stuck to her guns that nothing was loaded on the Russian ship, which is now a subject of a probe by the presidency.
Modise said the Russian ship docked in Simon’s Town last December to handle material that was ordered in 2018.
She said the records and Sars documents would be made available to the inquiry that was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Modise insisted to parliamentarians that there was nothing on the ship.
“I will reiterate what I said, we put fokol on that ship. I deliberately asked to use the word fokol because there was nothing,” said Modise.
Modise said if the opposition continued to question the role of the government in this matter, maybe it should consider stopping 14 military officials who are going to the US in the next few weeks.
Modise, who was replying to the debate on her department’s budget vote on Tuesday, said she was satisfied that Ramaphosa had launched a probe into the matter.
She said she hoped this will clarify a number of issues.
She accused the opposition of trying to dictate to the ANC government who to have relations with.
She said nothing was being said about the DA’s support for Israel, when the ANC government was questioned over its relations with Russia.
“Honourable (Kobus) Marais I agree with everything you said. You and I disagree on one thing, the insistence that your relationship with Israel nobody can talk about it. But the relationship of the ANC and Russia, which far outdates us coming to this House, must be tampered with.
“The relationship which is between the Russian army and the South African army predates my coming into this (position), predates the relationship and the ordering of whatever was on that ship and the Lady R spectacle,” said Modise.
She added that maybe the opposition wanted the government to give details on every relationship that they have with different countries in the world.
“Maybe you must also tell us honourable member whether the 14 members of the defence secretariat and military who are on their way, in the next few weeks, to the US must be stopped,” she said.
“We welcomed the president’s call for an inquiry into the matter of Lady R All the documentation, from the time the order was made in 2018 up to the time of offloading, all the documentation of Sars will be made available to that inquiry so that at least we are allowed to think and proceed with the other business of defence,” said Modise.
Minister in the Presidency responsible for State Security Khumbudzo Ntshavheni is currently on a three-day visit to Russia where she will meet with high-ranking officials to discuss security matters.
She will also prepare for the visit by Ramaphosa and the presidents of five other countries to mediate in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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