Ramaphosa Rattled by SANDF Chief’s Iran Trip and Gaza Comments

When South Africa’s top soldier flew to Tehran and publicly aligned himself with Iran’s stance on Gaza, it wasn’t just the headlines that caught the President’s attention, it was the fact that he had no idea the trip was even happening.

On Thursday, Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed what many in political circles had already suspected: President Cyril Ramaphosa neither approved nor knew about General Rudzani Maphwanya’s visit to Iran. And he wasn’t pleased about the comments that came out of it.

A trip without the President’s blessing

In Tehran, Maphwanya reportedly spoke of “common goals” with Iran, voiced support for its position on Gaza, and called for deeper strategic ties. Those remarks, Magwenya said, strayed far outside the general’s constitutional lane.

“At this period of heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, one can say the visit was ill-advised,” Magwenya said. “Foreign policy is strictly the domain of the President and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). It is not within the purview of the military or senior military officers.”

The stakes: more than just protocol

Behind the stern rebuke lies a delicate diplomatic balancing act. South Africa is in the middle of what Magwenya described as “a very delicate exercise” repairing its political and trade relations with the United States while navigating an already tense international climate over the Gaza conflict.

“It’s not helpful when senior government or military officials make statements that risk inflaming tensions,” Magwenya said, noting that the Presidency is also countering waves of disinformation from both abroad and within South Africa.

DIRCO draws its own line

DIRCO has also moved quickly to put distance between government policy and Maphwanya’s Tehran comments. Spokesperson Chrispin Phiri, on behalf of Minister Ronald Lamola, made it clear: only The Presidency, supported by DIRCO, sets South Africa’s foreign policy.

“Any statements made outside these channels should not be misinterpreted as the official position of the South African government,” Phiri said, adding that Lamola would be seeking clarity from Maphwanya directly.

What happens next

The SANDF chief has since returned home and is expected to meet with Ramaphosa to explain himself. Magwenya acknowledged that military-to-military exchanges with foreign counterparts are allowed, for joint training, peacekeeping, and disaster response, but stressed that these engagements must remain “strictly within military boundaries.”

“Senior military officers do not represent the country on foreign policy matters,” Magwenya reiterated.

The incident has stirred debate in political and diplomatic circles, not only about the limits of military diplomacy but also about how one unsanctioned trip could ripple into South Africa’s already sensitive foreign relations.

For Ramaphosa, it’s a reminder that in global politics, even a single off-script remark can land like a diplomatic grenade.

{Source: IOL}

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