The Democratic Alliance (DA) demands that the Minister of Defence, Angie Motshekga, submit herself to the Presidential inquiry into the “Operation Will for Peace” naval exercise, after confirmation that a direct instruction from President Cyril Ramaphosa to withdraw Iranian naval vessels was ignored by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
A written reply from Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, confirm that the President issued the instruction. See here.
This exposes a deeply troubling reality, a direct instruction from the Commander-in-Chief of the South African National Defence Force was apparently not executed.
The Minister of Defence was consulted before the President issued this instruction. Yet, when questioned repeatedly in Parliament, she refused to confirm whether the President had ordered the withdrawal of the Iranian vessels.
The timeline raises even more serious concerns.
On 16 January 2026, the Minister of Defence announced that she had ordered a Board of Inquiry within the Department of Defence, claiming it would report within seven days. However, this very board of inquiry was moved from the Department of Defence to the Presidency, further highlighting the President’s loss of trust in his own Minister of Defence.
South Africans deserve clarity on how such a serious breakdown in the chain of command could occur within the SANDF. The integrity of the country’s defence structures depends on accountability, transparency, and the assurance that lawful instructions from the President are respected and executed. Until these questions are answered, confidence in the leadership of the Department of Defence will remain severely undermined.