German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock expressed concern on Friday over reports that South Africa allegedly supplied Russia with arms and ammunition.

Berlin takes this information “very seriously”, Ms Burbock said yesterday while attending the foreign affairs council in Stockholm.

Germany’s foreign minister has warned South Africa that supplying arms to Russia is prolonging the war it launched against Ukraine, which she described as aggressive, and violating international law.

The US ambassador to South Africa, Ruben Brighetti, told reporters last Thursday that he would “bet his life” that the South African government sent weapons to Russia.

According to him, weapons and ammunition were loaded onto a Russian ship which docked in Cape Town last December.

In the afternoon of the same day, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa assured parliament, at the request of the opposition, that he would investigate the matter.

The country, a member of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) alliance, has so far maintained a neutral stance regarding the war. Recently, however, it has been increasingly criticized by the West, which accuses it of a pro-Russian attitude. Accusations have intensified since February, when joint naval academies of South Africa, Russia and China were held.