"The inquiry will offer the department an opportunity to ventilate its side of the story with concrete evidence," a spokesperson from the department said.

This comes as South Africa's Head of Diplomacy, Clayson Monyela, said the country's foreign minister will speak to her US counterpart, Anthony Blinken later on Friday.

On Thursday, the US ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, claimed that a Russian ship was loaded with ammunition and arms in Cape Town last December.

President Ramaphosa's office said it was disappointed by the claims and said no evidence had been provided to support them.

The country has maintained claims of neutrality over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.