President Cyril Ramaphosa’s authority is being openly tested, and a secret military move involving Iran now risks sparking a diplomatic fire—inside South Africa.
Education Minister Angie Motshekga, who chairs the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), is now ordering a formal probe into how Iran participated in a naval drill with the South African Navy last month.
This isn’t a routine drill. Iran sent a warship to South African waters in a joint exercise called “Exercise II”—but it happened without following the law.
DEFENCE WEB, A NEWS SITE FOR MILITARY AFFAIRS, BROKE THE STORY: THE NCACC NEVER APPROVED IRAN’S PARTICIPATION.
That means the drill was ILLEGAL.
What’s worse, President Ramaphosa had given specific instructions through his office: all foreign military cooperation must come to him… but the military seems to have gone around him.
Why does this matter?
South Africa is walking a razor’s edge.
On one side, it’s part of BRICS with both Russia and Iran—and wants stronger ties.
On the other, the US and Western allies see Iran as a top threat.
This drill was a test of loyalty, and the US is watching.
Motshekga’s probe will look at who knew, who authorized it, and why the NCACC was kept in the dark.
But inside whispers say the military might be making its own foreign policy—and the President is losing control.
This isn’t about paperwork.
It’s about who really runs South Africa’s guns and ships… and why the country’s top politicians are being ignored by its own military.
South Africa is now one secret drill away from a crisis it can’t control.
Edited for Kayitsi.com
Author: Kayitsi.com
