Pretoria – South Africa’s Democratic Alliance has demanded answers in Parliament after Iranian warships took part in the Will for Peace 2026 naval exercises in False Bay, despite President Cyril Ramaphosa instructing Defence Minister Angie Motshekga to ensure Iran withdrew from the drills.
According to a report by The Citizen, the DA says the participation of Iran points to possible defiance within the South African National Defence Force. The week-long naval exercise, hosted off the coast of the Western Cape, involved several countries and attracted global attention, particularly from the United States.
The presence of three Iranian warships in False Bay has raised diplomatic concerns, with questions being asked about who authorised Iran’s involvement after Ramaphosa’s directive was issued.
A government source confirmed that Iran had initially been requested to withdraw from the exercise. However, the SANDF later posted a statement on its official Facebook page, which has since been deleted, indicating that the Iranian corvette Naghdi did take part in the sea phase of the drills.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told The Citizen on Saturday that the exercises were facilitated and led by China. He said the president had instructed Motshekga to ensure that Iran did not participate.
On Friday, Motshekga said she had passed on Ramaphosa’s instructions regarding the naval exercise and had appointed a board of inquiry to determine whether those instructions were ignored.
DA spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans Chris Hattingh said the situation suggested more than a misunderstanding within the military.
“The drills looks less like confusion and more like defiance within the SANDF.
“That is not normal neither is it acceptable and it cannot be brushed aside.
“The situation is made worse by the Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, publicly hailing Iran’s participation, only for events to unfold in a manner that appeared to defy a reported presidential instruction. 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?” Hattingh said.
Hattingh said South Africans deserve immediate clarity on how Iran was allowed to participate in the sea phase of the exercise.
“Who gave the final approval? Whose instructions were followed? And why did senior SANDF leadership appear to act in defiance of a presidential directive?
“If this reflects a wider culture of insubordination at senior command level, including the Chief of the SANDF and the Chief of the Navy, it must be confronted now. The SANDF cannot be allowed to operate with parallel lines of authority,” Hattingh said.
Magwenya said invitations to the participating BRICS countries were handled by China, with South Africa agreeing to take part in the exercise and to the use of its territorial waters.
The issue has also drawn criticism from the United States. The US Embassy in South Africa criticised Pretoria for allowing Iranian warships into South African waters while Iran continues to crack down on anti government protests, during naval exercises that also involved Russia and China.
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