On Tuesday, the White House expressed concern about the potential rapprochement between South Africa and Russia in response to the call of American politicians for sanctions against Pretoria, writes AFP.

“We share the concerns of Congress about a potential security partnership between South Africa and Russia,” Judd Devermont, who is in charge of sub-Saharan Africa at the White House, told reporters.

The US ambassador in Pretoria, Ruben Bridgey, recently accused the South African government of supplying weapons to Russia, which has been waging a military offensive against Ukraine for more than a year, which caused violent protests in the US.

According to him, a Russian cargo ship docked near Cape Town in December before heading to Russia, loaded with weapons and ammunition.

In a letter, influential members of the US Congress demanded that South Africa no longer benefit from the trade benefits provided by the US Africa Development Act (Agoa).

This law, which expires in 2025, gives preferential access to the US market to African countries that meet certain democratic criteria.

Elected officials have suggested that such a weapons shipment, if proven, would violate US sanctions and are calling for the upcoming Agoa meeting, which is due to be held in South Africa, to be held elsewhere.

A White House spokesman would not comment on such sanctions, but assured attendees that “the law (was) very clear about what we need to do, and that will not change for South Africa.”

Another official in charge of Africa at the State Department, Molly Fee, said she expected South Africa to stick to its long-standing policy of non-alignment.

“South Africa is expected to follow this policy in relation to this terrible conflict in Europe,” she said.

South Africa, which has been close to the Kremlin since the struggle against apartheid, refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, saying it wanted to remain neutral. (photo: Moruzx | Dreamstime.com)