Pretoria – The South African government has distanced itself from comments made by South African National Defence Force (SANDF) chief General Rudzani Maphwanya during an official trip to Iran this week, stressing that the statements do not reflect the country’s foreign policy.
Maphwanya met with several senior members of Iran’s military forces on Tuesday, where he spoke positively about potential future collaborations between the two nations.
According to Iranian state media, he described the visit as having “a political message” and being “carried out at the best possible time to express our heartfelt feelings to the peace-loving nation of Iran.”
Yesterday, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, held talks with the Chief of the South African National Defense Force, General Rudzani Maphwanya, in Tehran, and announced the readiness to enhance military cooperation between the two… pic.twitter.com/ZnoqYt5pnL
— Ofentse Donald Davhie (@DonaldDavhie) August 13, 2025
He also praised the advanced capabilities of Iran’s defence research and training facility, Dafoos, saying he was “enthusiastic about fostering military cooperation” with the institution.
The Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans responded on Wednesday night, clarifying that Maphwanya’s remarks were not its official position.
“Matters of South Africa’s foreign policy and international relations are the sole prerogative of the President and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO),” it said, adding that it “does not make political or policy decisions” relating to foreign states. The ministry said it would engage with Maphwanya upon his return.
13 August 2025
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has taken note of recent media reports concerning comments attributed to South African National Defence Force (SANDF) General Rudzani Maphwanya. It is crucial to clarify that the implementation of… pic.twitter.com/wkCxKa1Ovl
— Chrispin Phiri 🇿🇦 (@Chrispin_JPhiri) August 14, 2025
DIRCO issued its own statement, saying that foreign policy implementation falls under The Presidency, supported by DIRCO, and warning that any statements made by individuals or departments outside of this mandate should not be interpreted as government policy.
“The remarks attributed to General Maphwanya do not represent the government’s official foreign policy stance,” said DIRCO spokesperson Chrispin Phiri.
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola will seek further clarification on the matter.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
