South Africa in the context of Africa's coup disease history

THE political stance aired by the SANDF chief, General Rudzani Maphwanya, during his recent visit to Iran and the differing responses within the ANC to his violation of military protocol (The Mercury, August 22) should provoke alarm regarding South Africa's constitutional future.

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In terms of military protocol, official statements by military personnel concerning foreign policy and political alliances are strictly off-limits. Maphwanya’s disregard for that protocol should have earned him a severe reprimand and produced a prompt retraction by the Department of International Relations.

The fact that those responses have not taken place and that within the ANC there is division between two ministries on the matter — Defence and Foreign Relations — not to mention the silence of the Office of the President, is symptomatic of the political implosion and disarray within the ANC.