Cote d' Ivoire crisis: S-Africa denies presence of warship
News Feb 18, 2011BY EMMA OVUAKPORIE
THE South African government yesterday denied the presence of its warship in Ivorian territorial waters, saying the SAS DRAKENSBERG was in the high seas to train young officers of her navy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Briefing newsmen after a meeting with Charge d Affairs of the South African High Commission in Nigeria, Mr Godfrey Moladzi, the Permanent Secretary in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Amb. Martins Uhomoibi said: "The South African authority said the warship was never at any time in Cote d'Ivoire, rather it is currently in Telma, Ghana not in the Ivorien coast as reported in the media."
He said the South African government had issued a statement to that effect where issues concerning the warship were properly explained and made copies available to journalists after the briefing.
In the release, the South African government confirmed "the navy support vessel planned to participate as a communication and guard vessel for the 2011 Cape to Rio Yacht race during the period January-February but was diverted from participating in the race to embark on a mission to the Gulf of Guinea."
It further claimed that the "ship is still conducting practical sea training for young officers and ratings in the SA navy and the exercise is exclusively a South African affair and not a joint operation."
The SA government also explained that "the warship is currently off the coast of Ghana for the purpose of replenishing rations and exchange of the training crews and that the vessel had been in international waters since it left RSA and only entered the waters of Ghana to replenish with the full knowledge of Ghanaian authorities."
It also confirmed that it instructed the SANDF to re-position the SA support vessel, the SAS DRAKENSBERG in the Gulf of Guinea for possible assistance to SA diplomats, designated personnel and other citizens in Ivory Coast.
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