Military experts urge President Ramaphosa to dismiss Defence Minister Motshekga and SANDF leaders for failing to enforce his order to withdraw Iranian warships during joint exercises. Defence Minister Angie Motshekga, SA National Defence Force (SANDF) chief General Rudzani Maphwanya, SANDF chief of joint operations Lieutenant General Siphiwe Lucky Sangweni and SA Navy chief Vice-Admiral Monde Lobese should all be fired for last week’s fiasco when Iranian navy ships participated in the joint naval exercise Will for Peace 2026 off Simon’s Town despite President Cyril Ramaphosa having ordered their withdrawal, say military experts. They believe that Lobese should not take the rap on his own, as a report in the Sunday Times suggests he might.
On Friday, Motshekga announced she was appointing a board of inquiry into the incident. The board would have to report back in seven days about why Ramaphosa’s instructions — which she said were “clearly communicated to all parties concerned, agreed upon, and to be implemented and adhered to as such” — were not obeyed. Russia, China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Iran actively participated in the exercise, from 9 to 16 January, with some other nations of the BRICS+ group observing.
On 9 January, Ramaphosa ordered Iran’s withdrawal from the exercise after being alerted by the US embassy about how badly Iran’s participation would be viewed in Washington, at a time when Tehran was brutally suppressing protests and legislation to renew the Agoa trade agreement was going through Congress. However, the three Iranian vessels — a corvette and two support ships — continued to participate in the exercise through to the end. “With regard to [Vice-]Admiral Lobese, it would be unjust and inaccurate to lay the blame for this entirely on his shoulders, while leaving the minister of defence, chief of the SANDF and chief of joint operations unscathed,” said Darren Olivier, director at the African Defence Review.
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He said that in exercises or operations of this nature, service chiefs like Lobese no longer had direct command of the forces they committed. At the start of the exercise, these forces and equipment were transferred to the command of the chief of joint operations, and only handed back once their part in the exercise or operation is completed. “While Lobese did still have options available to him once he became aware the order was not being followed, he does not have primary responsibility,” said Olivier.
Amid suggestions that the military had “gone rogue” in this case, Olivier said, “In any democracy, absolute civilian control of the military is a non-negotiable, and the president has the authority to, at any time, remove senior generals or admirals if he has lost trust in them. In order to definitively reassert that authority and set an example, Ramaphosa should relieve all involved of duty and replace them.” Independent military analyst Helmoed Heitman agreed. “I think the decision would have rested with the chief of joint operations (CJOPS) as they are the body responsible for all joint and combined operations and exercises. The services only provide forces.
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