SANDF confirms army chief's Russian visit
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed a visit to Moscow by the chief of the SA Army, Lieutenant-General Lawrence Mbatha.
SANDF spokesperson Andries Mahapa says the bilateral meeting was 'planned well in advance, and is not linked to the recent diplomatic spat between the US and South Africa.
The visit comes hot on the heels of an accusation by Washington that Pretoria secretly provided arms to Russia.
Last Thursday the US ambassador to Pretoria Reuben Brigety said that the United States believed weapons and ammunition had been laden onto a Russian freighter that docked at a Cape Town naval base in December.
South Africa has refused to condemn the conflict in Ukraine, which has largely isolated Moscow on the international stage.
"It must be emphasised that the bilateral is a long-standing arrangement, the Chief of the SA Army received an invitation from his Russian counterpart for a goodwill visit, the visit includes a call to the higher combined Army Academy and the Artillery Military Academy," says Mahapa.
"During this visit, the Chief of the SA Army will also have staff talks with military officials. It must be noted that South Africa has Military to Military bilateral relations with various countries in the continent and beyond.
"The SANDF receives numerous military delegations into the country and sends its own delegation to other countries to discuss matters of mutual interest."
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