South Africa’s defence and foreign policy credibility has come under scrutiny with political parties represented in parliament formally requesting urgent action on the inclusion of Iranian warships in a naval exercise. This was after the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) commander-in-chief President Cyril Ramaphosa instructed that Iran be excluded from active participation. Iran, a South African ally in the Middle East, is in direct conflict with Israel, and the US has threatened increased tariffs on countries close to Iran.
Its involvement could further complicate an already tense relationship between SA and the US. The DA has called for an urgentdebate in parliamentwhile ActionSA has written to parliament’s joint standing committee on defence requesting an immediate inquiry. Both parties are querying the involvement of theIranian navyin a Brics naval drill after Ramaphosa’s instruction that it be exempted.
Yet, Iranian naval vessels were observed participating in the “Exercise Will for Peace 2026″ off Simon’s Town. In a statement, the DA said “What is now unfolding looks less like confusion and more like defiance within the SANDF”, the DA said in a statement. “When senior officers publicly signal one direction and events on the ground follow that direction, parliament is entitled to ask a hard question: was lawful civilian authority ignored?” The party said parliament must establish whether a presidential instruction existed and, if so, why it was not enforced.
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ActionSA rejected the internal board of inquiry announced by the defence minister, arguing that it cannot be a substitute for parliamentary oversight. In its submission to the committee, the party said: “If an instruction was issued by the president and communicated as stated by the minister, the public must be assured that it was carried out.” ActionSA warned that any failure to comply would constitute a breach of the constitutional chain of command. The defining feature of the controversy remains the absence of formal executive communication.
The presidency has not published a directive, clarification or record setting out the scope of the president’s instruction. The defence department has likewise failed to table documentation confirming compliance. Instead, the public record has been shaped by contradictory SANDF statements, deleted official communications and retrospective explanations issued only after the exercise had concluded.
Some reports indicated that Iran had withdrawn, but the SANDF later confirmed participation. This contradiction remains unresolved.
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