The Department of Defence has postponed the joint naval exercise between South Africa, Russia, and China, which was planned for November.
According to the department, the reason for the postponement is that the exercise coincides with the G20 Summit that will be held in Johannesburg in November.
This is the third iteration of the exercise, which takes place every two years between the BRICS partners, and China was supposed to host this year’s exercise.
“In consultation with the Presidency and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the Department of Defence is engaging its counterparts in the People’s Republic of China on a postponement of the exercise to a mutually suitable date.
This is to ensure that the exercises do not impact on the logistical, security and other arrangements associated with South Africa’s G20 Presidency,” said SANDF spokesperson, Siphiwe Dlamini.
Opposition parties and military analysts lambasted the previous exercises, citing budgets cuts and lack of fund for the SANDF to service its fleet.
They also described them as an endorsement to Moscow’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
But the SANDF has denied the accusations and defended the exercise.
“South Africa’s participation in military exercises of this nature with various countries is part of the furtherance of sound multilateral and bilateral relations.
As it has in the past, South Africa continues to hold joint military exercises with a broad range of countries.
In the last few years, the SANDF has conducted joint and multinational military exercises with countries such as Brazil, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States,” explained Dlamini.
According to the SANDF, a naval exercise is a military drill intended to evaluate tactics, enhance interoperability, and foster cooperation among navies.
These exercises typically incorporate both simulations and real-world scenarios, including tactical manoeuvres, search and rescue operations, and anti-piracy drills.
