There is no reason to apply sanctions brought against Russian tycoon Alexey Mordashov and his $500 million (R9.1 billion) superyacht is free to dock at Cape Town’s ports, government said on Wednesday.
This is according to Vincent Magwenya, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesman, as the city awaits the arrival of the oligarch’s vessel.
Mordashov, the biggest shareholder in steelmaker Severstal PJSC, was sanctioned by the European Union, the UK and US but not the United Nations after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Also read: Mayor says no to Mordashov’s yacht docking in Cape Town
His 142m superyacht left Hong Kong on Thursday and is expected to arrive in Cape Town on November 9 after passing North of Banda Aceh, Indonesia on Tuesday, according to tracking data.
“South Africa has no legal obligation to abide by sanctions imposed by the US and EU,” Magwenya told reporters in Pretoria. “We have no reason to prevent their entry into South Africa.”
“South Africa’s obligations, with respect to sanctions, relate only to those that are specifically adopted by the United Nations,” he added. “Currently there are no UN-imposed sanctions on the particular individual.”
Over the weekend, Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, and Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, called for the billionaire with ties to Vladmir Putin’s yacht to be denied entry to Cape Town Harbors.
“Cape Town and the Western Cape cannot become a safe haven for Putin’s oligarchs.” the premier said. “They cannot be welcomed here.”
” South Africa must now show some backbone and stand up for the principles in our own constitution.”
On Saturday, Hill-Lewis tweeted: “South Africa should not be offering sanctuary to sanctioned Russian oligarchs.
“We call on @DIRCO_ZA to uphold international sanctions and deny the yacht entry. Putin’s war accomplices are not welcome in Cape Town.”
UPDATE:
Hill-Lewis tweeted on Wednesday: “The President who never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. I’m sure those weighing up whether to grey list South Africa are taking note. We face grey-listing because of our lax approach to money launderers and racketeers, now we can add sanction-dodgers too.”
The President who never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
I’m sure those weighing up whether to grey list South Africa are taking note. We face grey-listing because of our lax approach to money launderers and racketeers, now we can add sanction-dodgers too. https://t.co/FBtRBEGyDx
— Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) October 26, 2022
Also read: Video: inside Mordashov’s megayacht en route to Cape Town
Picture: screenshot / newsvlru