After Naval Drills With Iran, South Africa Faces New U.S. Scrutiny

The exercises were the second time in six months that President Cyril Ramaphosa appeared to be blindsided by his own military ...

Russia, Iran and China join naval drill in South Africa — as tensions with US rise: 'A pawn in the power games'

Rogue states Russia, Iran and China joined naval drills alongside South Africa Saturday, as tensions mount between several countries in the block of nations and the US. The week‑long exercise, which ...

South Africa, a self-described ‘moral superpower,’ rethinks its foreign policy

After allowing Iranian warships to participate in a naval exercise in South African waters, members of the ruling coalition say the government has drifted from its ideals ...

Naval Drills: The Risks of Misunderstanding Middle-Power Status

South Africa's recent naval exercises with Chinese, Russian, and Iranian vessels reveal deeper issues of strategic literacy ...
Daily Maverick

Testing the waters — the maritime dilemma SA faces as an emerging middle power

At first glance, South Africa appears far removed from the epicentres of contemporary geopolitical tension. Conflicts in the ...

Ramaphosa, BRICS and Will for Peace: Naval Power at the Fault Line of Sovereignty

Geopolitical writer Gillian Schutte argues that South Africa’s decision to host the naval exercise Will for Peace signals a deliberate commitment to BRICS alignment under Western pressure. She ...

China, Russia, Iran flex naval power after Trump warns Khamenei, warships dominate African waters

China, Russia and Iran kicked off a week‑long joint naval drill, “Will for Peace 2026,” in South African waters, billed as a BRICS Plus maritime safety operation even as tensions with the U.S. spike ...

Why South Africa's naval drill is about sovereignty, not sides

South Africa's recent naval exercise with BRICS partners challenges the narrative of alignment and underscores the importance ...