By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister of Defence Angie Motshekga met with South African Defence Force (SANDF) Chief Rudzani Maphwanya following his return to South Africa from Iran.
Maphwanya caused a storm last week when it emerged that during a visit to Tehran he pledged “common goals” with Iran and claimed his trip carried “a political message”.
The meeting in Iran took place amid tensions between Pretoria and Washington, after months of worsening diplomatic relations between South Africa and the US.
After US President Donald Trump’s 30% tariff on South African goods came into effect earlier this month, Pretoria proposed a revised trade offer to US trade representatives in the hopes that it would mollify the transactional Trump.
South Africa’s warm ties with Iran have been one of the Trump administration’s main gripes, with the Trump administration accusing Iran of being a key supporter of global terrorism. In June, tensions escalated between the US and Iran after the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites at Israel’s behest.
In a statement, SANDF spokesperson, Siphiwe Dlamini, said General Rudzani Maphwanya, met with the Minister on his return and gave her a report on the visit.
He said Motshekga was satisfied with his report.
Dlamini said Maphwanya’s visit to Iran was scheduled to take place last year but was postponed to 2025.
“Authority was granted by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans for the Chief of the SANDF to honour the invitation. It can be confirmed that the Minister and the Chief of the SANDF have spoken upon his return.
“The department wishes to state further that upon his return from the visit, the Chief of the SANDF gave a report to the Minister, in view of the public interest related to the visit as it has been reported in various media,” he said.
Dlamini said the Chief of the SANDF had bilateral engagement with the Iranian officials on matters of mutual interest.
He said after the engagement, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi issued a statement on the discussion.
However, Dlamini said Maphwanya “had not spoken to the media houses in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of South Africa as he respects the confidentiality of the contents of the discussion between the two Armed Forces.”
Dlamini said Motshekga accepted the General’s explanation, adding that the Department of Defence would not be commenting further on the matter.
The parliamentary Committees on Defence and International Relations and Cooperation plans to engage with Motshekga and DIRCO minister Ronald Lamola over comments made by Maphwanya.
This will be after President Cyril Ramaphosa scheduled meeting with Maphwanya.
Meanwhile the US sought clarity on South Africa’s stance, prompting the government to emphasise that Maphwanya’s expressions of support for Iran were not officially sanctioned.
As a result, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) hit back at Washington’s request, denouncing it as arrogant.
The EFF notes the recent reports that the US government has expressed ‘great concern’ and is demanding clarity from South Africa regarding the visit by the Chief of the SANDF General Rudzani Maphwanya to the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the party said in a statement.
“We reject with contempt, this arrogant posture by the United States, which presumes that South Africa owes it explanations for its sovereign diplomatic and military engagements. Equally, we are appalled by our government’s interference with the work of the military – this is a conduct unbecoming of a constitutional state.”
The party insisted that South Africa is a sovereign nation free to form relations with any country, including Iran, now a BRICS member.
The EFF also criticised Ramaphosa, accusing him of cowardice for distancing himself from the trip to appease US President Donald Trump.
This cowardly behaviour is consistent with what he displayed when he was in the Oval Office, unable to assert South Africa’s independence in the face of imperial arrogance. Ramaphosa’s actions expose a leadership that is timid and incapable of defending the dignity of our nation, “the EFF said.