Defence analyst says naval exercises with China, Russia, Iran highlight limits of SA’s military readiness

South Africa’s participation in a major international naval exercise with China, Russia and Iran this week is exposing the severe limitations of the country’s navy, according to defence analyst Helmut Heitman.

He says the exercise is not a high-level warfighting drill, but rather a basic 'passage exercise' focused on communication and simple manoeuvres, reflecting the limited operational capability of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

"So, a simple, straightforward exercise, the sort of thing they've been talking about, protection and shipping, that sort of thing, that they can do. But that's about our limit at the moment.”

Heitman notes that only one frigate is fully seaworthy, although it is not combat-ready, due to outdated sensors and weapons that have not been upgraded in two decades.

"Of our ships, one frigate is perfectly seaworthy, Amatola. She had a lot of sea time last year, but she's not war-ready. Her sensors and weapons haven't been updated since we bought her 20 years ago."

Heitman adds that several other vessels requireextensive maintenance and that the absence of maritime patrol aircraft in the air force further weakens the navy’s operational reach.

Beyond capacity concerns, Heitman warns that exercising with Russia and Iran carries political costs.

While cooperation with China is strategically sensible, he describes Russia and Iran as economically and strategically irrelevant to South Africa, arguing that their inclusion risks damaging relations with key trading partners in Europe and the United States.

"What we're doing here is we're rather annoying other countries with whom we have worthwhile trading relations."

To listen to Heitman in conversation with 702's John Perlman, use the audio player below: