Ramaphosa Moves Iran Naval Exercise Probe to His Office, Appoints Retired Judges to Investigate Disobeyed Order
PRETORIA, 27 February 2026. President Cyril Ramaphosa removed the investigation into why the South African Navy allowed Iran to participate in Exercise Will for Peace from the South African National Defence Force chain of command on Friday, relocating the probe to the Presidency and appointing a...
Ramaphosa Moves Iran Naval Exercise Probe to His Office, Appoints Retired Judges to Investigate Disobeyed Order
PRETORIA, 27 February 2026. President Cyril Ramaphosa removed the investigation into why the South African Navy allowed Iran to participate in Exercise Will for Peace from the South African National Defence Force chain of command on Friday, relocating the probe to the Presidency and appointing a four-member panel of retired judges and a former naval officer to conduct an independent inquiry.
Ramaphosa appointed retired Justice Bernard Ngoepe to chair the investigative panel, with retired Justices Kathleen Satchwell and Monica Leeuw and former South African Navy Rear Admiral Patrick Duze as members. The panel was given one month to complete its investigation and submit a report, though the President may grant an extension. The inquiry will examine the circumstances surrounding the exercise, identify factors that contributed to the failure to implement the presidential order, name those responsible, and recommend consequences.
The controversy arose after Iran participated alongside China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa in the Chinese-led Exercise Will for Peace, a naval training exercise conducted in South African waters near Simon's Town from 9 to 16 January 2026. Ramaphosa had issued a directive requiring that Iran be excluded from the exercise following diplomatic pressure, primarily from the United States, which had flagged South Africa's military engagement with Tehran as inconsistent with efforts to normalise the strained US-South Africa bilateral relationship. Despite the presidential order, Iran's naval vessels took part in the exercise.
The Defence Minister's initial handling of the matter was deemed insufficient, prompting Ramaphosa to escalate by bringing the investigation directly under the Presidency. The episode exposed a significant breakdown in the military chain of command and raised questions about whether the instruction had been communicated clearly or deliberately disregarded.
The incident deepened tensions between Pretoria and Washington. The United States had in recent months applied tariffs of approximately 30% on South African goods, suspended bilateral aid, and was considering legislation in Congress, the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act, that could further curtail trade and cooperation if South Africa's ties to Iran, Russia, and China were not addressed. South Africa's own expulsion of the Israeli chargé d'affaires the previous month had added another layer of friction.
Exercise Will for Peace is a multinational naval exercise organised under China's leadership. South Africa has participated in joint naval exercises with China and Russia under the "Mosi" framework since 2019.