On Wednesday, the opposition in South Africa warned the government against risking international sanctions if it allows a luxury yacht linked to a Russian signer in the country’s territorial waters.
According to reports, after Hong Kong left last week, the $ 500 million “The Nord” yacht, which is connected to Russian billionaire Alexei Murdashov, sailed on his way to South Africa.
Murdashov is regarded as a member of the Russian aristocracy close to President Vladimir Putin, who levied sanctions against them after Moscow invaded Ukraine and the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.
The government was urged in a letter sent this week by Cape Town Mayor Jordin Hill-Louis to stop the boat from entering the nation’s territorial seas.
Pretoria “has no reason to prevent,” according to the president of South Africa’s spokeswoman on Tuesday, the yacht.
Vincent Maguena added at a press conference that South Africa has no legal commitment to compliance with the sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union.
In addition to other Russian origins, courts in many nations this year ordered the forfeiture of boats owned by wealthy Russians.
Hill-Lewis warned of the consequences of hosting Russian businessmen, saying: “We face the risk of inserting gray lists because of our lenient approach to money-gang and gangsters, and now we can add evaders from the penalties as well. ”
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which resulted in a war that resulted in extensive Western sanctions against Russia, South Africa avoided becoming one of the points of gravity on the African continent to align with either party.
Hill Lewis said that South Africa “” is an ethical duty to do what it can to protest against the unfair war, state terrorism and the serious violation of human rights “in Ukraine.
On November 8 or 9, the Nord is anticipated to arrive off the coast of South Africa.
The opposition in South Africa issues a cautionary statement against permitting a boat tissue connected to Alexei Murdashov, a key ally of Putin.
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