by MTHULISI SIBANDA
Africa Editor
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – ON the global front, South Africa’s growing ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran are seen as further driving a wedge between the former and the United States.
Domestically, the issue adds strain to the fractured relations between the main parties in the government of national unity (GNU).
Thus, 2026 is shaping up to be a long year for the government of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
It faces an arduous task stabilising the GNU and mending raptured relations with the bullying American administration of Donald Trump.
At the centre of the conflict is the January 9-16 joint naval exercise of the BRICS bloc, in South Africa, and the alleged human rights abuse by the government of Iran.
Iran and South Africa are currently the nemesis of the US.
While the fallout with Iran runs for decades, the diplomatic tiff with post-independence South Africa is relatively new, beginning in 2025 when Trump returned to office.
His government accuses the African powerhouse of a “white genocide.”
Both Iran and South Africa are members of the BRICS+ (an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and several countries that officially joined in 2024).
Navies of the BRICS have been carrying out the Will for Peace 2026 maritime exercise at Naval Base Simon’s Town in Cape Town.
By hosting navies of other rivals of the US such as China, Russia, analysts believe this could further strain the relationship with Trump’s government and could compromise South Africa’s non-aligned foreign policy.
The exercise has meanwhile been mired in confusion.
On Tuesday, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) posted that four naval vessels would take part in the sea phase of the exercise, suggesting Iran would not take part, after reports South Africa had requested it to withdraw.
The post was later removed and deleted.
SANDF then listed that five ships will participate, including the Iranian corvette Naghdi.
Amid reports Iran had withdrawn, Carl Niehaus, a legislator of the local opposition Economic Freedom Fighters, said South Africa’s “capitulation” to US imperialism was “shameful.”
“This decision is entirely unacceptable and represents a shameful capitulation to bullying by the United States of America,” Niehaus said.
The GNU at the helm of South Africa is also impacted, with the Democratic Alliance (DA), the biggest partner of Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC).
Chris Hattingh, DA spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans, said South Africans are entitled to clear answers about the role of foreign warships in Exercise Will for Peace 2026.
“Instead, what we have seen is confusion, contradiction and secrecy,” he said.
Hattingh said this was in sharp contrast to previous multinational naval exercises, which were conducted openly with regular public communication.
“This level of secrecy is unacceptable. These are not routine naval visits. They involve sanctioned states and carry real diplomatic and economic risks for South Africa.”
The DA has previously criticised the ANC-dominated government of siding with autocrats yet claiming a non-aligned foreign.
The DA views the government as siding with fellow BRICS member, Russia, in its conflict with Ukraine. South Africa is also on Palestine’s side in the conflict with Israel.
South Africa appears to have incurred the wrath of the US, an Israel ally, to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, on charges of genocide.
The DA has formally written to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Ronald Lamola, demanding that he report Iran to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for human rights abuses in the suppression of civilian protests.
The death toll from the crackdown of the anti-government protests is reportedly nearing 3 000.
The ANC and DIRCO have largely refrained from commenting over the crackdown.
“As a member of the GNU, we will not tolerate South Africa turning a blind eye to brutal authoritarian regimes at the ANC’s behest, and we certainly will not tolerate South Africa’s silence in the wake of their violent assault on innocent civilians,” Ryan Smith, DA spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation.
On Wednesday, Trump issued a warning to the Iranian government, threatening “very strong action.”
His government has been widely condemned for the January 3 Operation Absolute Resolve, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores.
They face narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges in the US.
The ANC condemned that incident as imperialist aggression.
“The ANC expresses its solidarity with the people of Venezuela, who continue to endure sustained political, economic and diplomatic pressure,” it stated.
– CAJ News