South Africa's Defence Minister Angie Motshekga has launched a board of inquiry to investigate why President Cyril Ramaphosa's orders to exclude Iranian warships from a multinational naval exercise were not followed. The exercise, known as Will for Peace, took place in False Bay near Simon's Town. The decision follows reports of potential diplomatic tensions with the United States.
Defence Minister Angie Motshekga announced on January 16, 2026, that she has established a Board of Inquiry (BOI) to probe why the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) did not adhere to President Cyril Ramaphosa's instructions to withdraw Iranian participation from Exercise Will for Peace. The multinational naval drill occurred in False Bay, involving ships from South Africa, Russia, China, the United Arab Emirates, and reportedly Iran.
Ramaphosa's directive aimed to avoid straining relations with the US amid debates over renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Act and concerns over Iran's suppression of protests. Motshekga stated that the president's orders were 'clearly communicated to all parties' and agreed upon for implementation. The BOI will examine if the instructions were misrepresented or ignored, delivering a report within seven days after the exercise concludes.
Despite the orders, three Iranian vessels—the corvette IRIS Naghdi (No 82), support ship IRIS Makran (No 441), and IRIS Shahid Mahdavi (No 110-3)—remained in the area throughout the week. The SANDF posted on Facebook about the IRIS Naghdi joining the sea phase on Tuesday, though the post was later removed. Naval sources confirmed the sea phase ended on Thursday, with foreign ships scheduled to depart on Sunday.
Democratic Alliance spokesperson Chris Hattingh welcomed the inquiry but urged Motshekga to brief Parliament promptly, emphasizing civilian control over the military. He highlighted SANDF Chief Rudzani Maphwanya's prior pro-Iran remarks in Tehran as potentially complicating matters.
The US embassy in Pretoria voiced strong concerns on X, labeling Iran a 'destabilising actor' and criticizing South Africa's stance. US Senator Jim Risch called for action against South Africa, accusing it of aligning with adversaries under the guise of non-alignment.
