ActionSA and the Democratic Alliance (DA) have intensified calls for an urgent parliamentary investigation into allegations that senior officials in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) ignored direct orders from President Cyril Ramaphosa during recent multinational naval exercises near Simon’s Town.
The controversy centres on Exercise Will for Peace 2026, a joint drill held in False Bay involving warships from South Africa, China (which led the exercise), Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and reportedly Iran. President Ramaphosa, as commander-in-chief of the SANDF, had instructed that Iranian vessels be excluded from active participation—potentially limiting them to observer status or barring them entirely—to avoid straining diplomatic relations with the United States amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
Despite the directive, Iranian warships—including the corvette IRIS Naghdi—were observed taking part in the sea phase of the exercise and docking at Simon’s Town Naval Base. Reports indicate that three Iranian vessels were present, with at least one actively involved alongside ships such as the South African frigate SAS Amatola, the Chinese destroyer Tangshan, the Russian corvette Stoikiy, and the UAE corvette Bani Yas.
Defence Minister Angie Motshekga has responded by establishing a Board of Inquiry to determine whether the president’s instructions were “misrepresented and/or ignored.” The ministry has stressed that Ramaphosa’s directives were clearly communicated, though the exercise concluded on January 16 without apparent enforcement of the exclusion.
Opposition voices have been sharp in their criticism. ActionSA parliamentary chief whip Lerato Ngobeni described the incident as a “serious breach of the constitutional chain of command” and has formally written to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence seeking answers. “The directive was quite clear and direct from the president,” Ngobeni stated. “We believe the SANDF has a lot to do to reclaim their prestige under the current Minister Angie Motshekga. We really do not have confidence in her leadership of the defence force—and so we want them to come forward and let the nation know why it is that they would defy their commander-in-chief.”
The DA has echoed these concerns, with defence spokespeople labelling the apparent defiance as unacceptable and calling for parliamentary oversight rather than relying solely on the internal Board of Inquiry. Critics argue this episode undermines civilian control over the military and highlights broader issues in foreign policy alignment, particularly South Africa’s BRICS+ engagements versus relations with Western powers.
The United States Embassy in South Africa expressed “concern and alarm” over reports that the Defence Minister and SANDF defied government orders, warning that allowing Iranian participation undermines maritime security and regional stability.
This is not the first time SANDF-Iran ties have sparked controversy; a similar incident occurred in 2025 involving unauthorised statements by a senior general. As the Board of Inquiry proceeds and parliamentary pressure mounts, the episode continues to fuel debate over accountability, military discipline, and South Africa’s international positioning. No final findings have been released, but calls for greater transparency and potential leadership changes persist.