President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: The Citizen/Nigel Sibanda
President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation at 8pm on Sunday evening to deliver the outcome of the 15th Brics Summit.
His address will also include the conclusion of the panel’s investigation into the docking of the Lady R vessel in South Africa.
READ: RAMAPHOSA’S REMARKS ON BRICS SUMMIT
The Brics bloc will grow from 1 January 2024 as six countries (out of the 23 which applied for membership) will be welcomed into the fold:
At the time, Ramaphosa said the Brics bloc was a diverse group of nations which represented an equal partnership.
The president also said Africa as a whole views the Brics partnership as a catalyst for “global growth and development that responds to the needs of all nations”.
READ: RAMAPHOSA’S REMARKS ON LADY R REPORT.
It was revealed back in August that, yes, Russia’s Lady R was packing firepower… but ‘weapons were inbound’.
This was confirmed by an independent three-member panel, led by retired Judge Phineas Mojapelo.
On 9 May, Mojapelo was tasked by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate the docking at the Simon’s Town Naval Base on 9 December 2022.
The final report was handed to Ramaphosa on 4 August.
However, six days later, Minister for the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said President Cyril Ramaphosa still had to assess the findings.
The report has since cleared the South African government after an inquiry found that Lady R did not load any arms or ammunition onto the ship.