SA caught in East-West tug-of-war

THE South African government's distancing from recent Iran-RSA military cooperation has intensified diplomatic and economic headwinds, just as Western capitals press Pretoria to realign away from Eastern partners.

- THABO MAKWAKWA

The controversy hinges on remarks by South African National Defence Force (SANDF) chief General Rudzani Maphwanya during a visit to Iran, and the government's current posture on the broader foreign policy balance between East and West.

The episode began to unfold after General Maphwanya’s trip to Iran, a move that has since been disavowed by both the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the Department of Defence and Military Veterans.

The government maintained that President Cyril Ramaphosa, with DIRCO’s guidance, remains the architect of South Africa’s foreign policy.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed he would meet the general to discuss his ‘ill-advised’ trip,” a government source said, signalling that the visit has become a political flashpoint rather than a simple military exchange.