Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa did not know about South Africa National Defence Force (SANDF) chief Rudzani Maphwanya’s recent trip to Iran, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said. He described the visit as “ill-advised,” given South Africa’s ongoing efforts to manage tensions with the United States.
Maphwanya met with senior Iranian military officials on Tuesday and spoke positively about potential future collaborations between the two countries. According to Magwenya, the trip was approved by the defence minister, not the president, as the president does not supervise general-level travel.
“The president is the appointing authority and commander-in-chief, but he does not get involved in supervising the general’s travel,” Magwenya explained. He added that the visit could be potentially inflammatory amid heightened Middle East tensions.
Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet Maphwanya next week to discuss the trip, with the outcome expected to have political significance. The Democratic Alliance has called for the SANDF chief to be court-martialled for violating military law, and discussions are ongoing.
Merging into domestic affairs, Magwenya also addressed South Africa’s National Dialogue first national convention, which starts on Friday. The convention aims to mobilise communities, develop action plans, and promote accountability. However, several political parties and foundations, including the Thabo Mbeki and Chief Albert Luthuli Foundations, withdrew from the organising committee, citing funding and planning concerns.
“These withdrawals relate to the state of preparedness and funding, not the dialogue process itself,” Magwenya said. He added that the foundations remain committed to participating in the broader national dialogue. Close to 1 000 delegates are confirmed to represent various sectors at the convention.
Regarding the dialogue’s credibility, Magwenya said it will be judged by the level of community participation and the outcomes achieved, rather than by individual organisations or leaders. On Ramaphosa’s relationship with former president Thabo Mbeki, he described it as professional and cordial, with no public criticism exchanged.
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