Ministers slam SANDF chief for his remarks about solidarity with Iran

In a rare public rebuke of a fellow government official, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola has dissociated the government from remarks reportedly made by South African National Defence Force (SANDF) chief General Rudzani Maphwanya in Tehran, expressing full political solidarity with Iran.

Lamola’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, said on Wednesday, 13 August: “It is crucial to clarify that the implementation of South Africa’s foreign policy is a function of the Presidency, supported by [the Department of International Relations and Cooperation].

“Consequently, any statements made by an individual, or a department other than those responsible for foreign policy, should not be misinterpreted as the official position of the South African government. The remarks attributed to General Maphwanya, therefore, do not represent the government’s official foreign policy stance.”

Phiri added that Lamola “would be seeking further clarification on this matter”.

The meeting in Iran comes amid tensions between Pretoria and Washington, after months of worsening diplomatic relations between South Africa and the US.

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After US President Donald Trump’s 30% tariff on South African goods came into effect earlier this month, Pretoria proposed a revised trade offer to US trade representatives in the hopes that it would mollify the transactional Trump.

South Africa’s warm ties with Iran have been one of the Trump administration’s main gripes, with the Trump administration accusing Iran of being a key supporter of global terrorism. In June, tensions escalated between the US and Iran after the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites at Israel’s behest.

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In a statement on Wednesday night, the Department of Defence said it wished to clarify that matters of South Africa’s foreign policy and international relations were the “sole prerogative” of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco).

“The Department of Defence and Military Veterans does not make political or policy decisions on international relations.

“It is unfortunate that political and policy statements were reportedly made during the meeting between General Rudzani Maphwanya, Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the Iran Defence Force leadership. The Department of Defence reiterates that only the President and Dirco determine South Africa’s national policy on international relations,” said Defence Ministry spokesperson Onicca Kwakwa.

Kwakwa added that Defence Minister Angie Motshekga would engage with Maphwanya when he returned.

She did not respond to a question from Daily Maverick on whether Motshekga had authorised Maphwanya’s visit to Iran.

‘Concrete joint military projects’

According to reports by the Iranian state-owned Press TV and the Tehran Times, Maphwanya met Iran’s defence minister, Major General Aziz Nasirzadeh; the chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi; and the Iranian army commander, General Amir Hatami, in Tehran on Tuesday, 12 August.

The Tehran Times quoted Hatami as saying that Iran and South Africa were united by anti-colonial, anti-arrogance and justice-seeking principles. He said South Africa occupied a “prioritised” place in Iran’s foreign policy.

According to the Press TV report, at the meeting, Maphwanya conveyed greetings from Ramaphosa and Motshekga, affirming that South Africa and Iran shared “common goals”.

“We always stand alongside the oppressed and defenceless people of the world,” said Maphwanya.

Maphwanya condemned Israel’s continued assault on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and reiterated South Africa’s solidarity with Palestine.

South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, said Maphwanya, sought to ensure “those responsible for genocide are held accountable”.

South Africa filed an application before the ICJ in December 2023, accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention in its military assault on Gaza. In the application, South Africa alleged that Israel had committed acts of genocide against the people of Palestine in violation of its obligations under the Genocide Convention.

Read more: How South Africa seeks an order to stop the carnage in Gaza and prevent a genocide

In January 2024, the court ordered Israel to prevent genocide, to prevent and punish incitement to genocide and to increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. But it stopped short of ordering a ceasefire, which was the maximum provisional measure Pretoria had called for.

According to the Press TV report, Maphwanya underlined the long-standing mutual respect between Tehran and Pretoria, and called for deeper ties, particularly as far as defensive cooperation was concerned.

He emphasised that his visit to Iran “carries a political message”, arriving in Tehran “at the best possible time to express our heartfelt sentiments to the peace-loving people of Iran”.

The Tehran Times further reported that in the meeting with Maphwanya, Hatami stressed that political alignment between Tehran and Pretoria granted South Africa a special place in Iran’s outreach to the African continent. He expressed a desire to convert this into concrete joint military projects, the publication reported.

“The Islamic Republic and South Africa have always supported each other and oppressed nations. This mission must continue until the restoration of a global order based on justice and human dignity,” said Hatami.

Beyond his mandate

DA defence spokesperson Chris Hattingh said that judging by the Iranian state media reports, Maphwanya “went well beyond military-to-military discussions. He publicly pledged ‘common goals’ with Iran in global affairs, endorsed Tehran’s political positions on the war in Gaza, and called for deeper strategic alignment, including joint projects and student exchanges.

“This is not the role of a military chief. Foreign policy is the domain of the elected Government of National Unity and must be conducted through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), not by an unelected general freelancing on the world stage.

“This reckless grandstanding comes at a time when South Africa’s relations with key democratic partners, especially the United States, are already under severe strain,” said Hattingh.

He added that “publicly embracing a sanctioned regime with a track record of regional destabilisation” would only deepen South Africa’s “diplomatic isolation, risk retaliatory measures, and worsen our economic vulnerabilities”.

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Hattingh said the party would demand answers from Lamola and Motshekga on whether the political content of Maphwanya’s statements was authorised by the government, what commitments, if any, were made on behalf of the government, and how the government intended to repair the damage caused to relationships with democratic allies.

“The SANDF’s job is to lead and manage the defence force, not to act as an unsanctioned political envoy. Allowing our most senior military officer to make partisan foreign policy pronouncements is strategically reckless, diplomatically irresponsible and economically self-defeating.

“South Africa cannot afford to have its international standing further sabotaged by political adventurism from the military’s top brass,” he said.

Defence expert Darren Olivier, a director at African Defence Review, said Ramaphosa must address Motshekga’s role in this matter and hold her, as well as Maphwanya, accountable.

“Maphwanya is a commissioned officer given authority by the President, just as with a Cabinet minister. So Dirco’s statement is not enough. Ramaphosa himself has to become involved to prevent an interdepartmental clash and, most of all, to reassert the SANDF’s subservience to civilian authority,” he said. DM