SIMONS TOWN  – Chinese and Iranian warships arrived at South Africa’s premier naval facility this week for multi-national maritime exercises that have reignited debate over the country’s foreign policy alignment and its relationship with Western allies.

The week-long “Will for Peace” naval drill, scheduled to run from 9-16 January, will see participation from BRICS member nations including China, Iran, and Russia, according to South African naval officials. The exercise is being hosted at the strategic Simon’s Town naval base near Cape Town.

AFP journalists confirmed the presence of two Chinese vessels in False Bay harbour on Wednesday, with an Iranian warship joining the formation on Thursday. Russian naval assets are also expected to participate in the China-led maritime exercises.

SANDF defends strategic partnership

In response to growing political criticism, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) issued a statement defending the multinational exercise as essential for regional security cooperation.

“The ‘Will for Peace’ exercise represents our commitment to building collaborative maritime security capabilities with our strategic partners,” said SANDF spokesperson Colonel Thabo Mosehla. “This operation strengthens our navy’s interoperability with BRICS allies while demonstrating South Africa’s role as a responsible maritime nation. The skills and knowledge gained from these exercises directly benefit our ability to secure our territorial waters and contribute to broader Indian Ocean stability.”

The defence force emphasized that the drills focus on “safety of shipping and maritime economic activities” and are designed to “deepen cooperation in support of peaceful maritime security initiatives.”

Political opposition mounts

The exercises have drawn sharp criticism from the Democratic Alliance (DA), a key partner in South Africa’s unity government coalition. DA defence spokesperson Chris Hattingh accused the ruling African National Congress of conducting foreign policy without proper parliamentary oversight.

“South Africa’s defence and foreign policy must be transparent, constitutional, and principled and certainly not being quietly reshaped through military exercises that contradict our stated neutrality and damage our standing in the world,” Hattingh said.

The DA, which joined the government after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in 2024, has demanded full disclosure of the exercise’s costs, command structure, and potential diplomatic ramifications.

Strained international relations

The naval drills come at a time of heightened tension between South Africa and the United States. President Donald Trump has previously accused BRICS nations of pursuing “anti-American” policies, while South Africa has faced criticism for its close ties with Russia and its decision to bring a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

This marks the latest in a series of controversial military partnerships. South Africa drew international condemnation in 2023 for hosting similar naval exercises with Russia and China that coincided with the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

BRICS expansion context

The current exercises involve the expanded BRICS membership, which now includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia alongside the original members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

The joint drills, formerly known as Exercise Mosi, were originally scheduled for November 2025 but were postponed due to scheduling conflicts with the G20 summit in Johannesburg. The three primary nations—South Africa, Russia, and China—first conducted joint naval exercises in 2019.

As the international community watches closely, the “Will for Peace” exercises underscore South Africa’s complex balancing act between maintaining strategic partnerships with emerging powers while preserving relationships with traditional Western allies.

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