DA slams Lamola over 'inept' defence of BRICS navy drill

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said that International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola’s defence of hosting a BRICS military exercise showed a "deep ineptitude" for foreign affairs.

The party condemned Lamola for his public defence of hosting sanctioned Iranian and Russian naval vessels during the exercise at the Simon’s Town naval base in Cape Town.

The navy exercise is taking place as tensions between South Africa and the United States continue over the country's close ties to America's main adversaries.

China will lead the "Will for Peace" 2026 navy drill, which runs from 9 to 16 January.

READ: South Africa defends naval drills with Iran, Russia as 'essential'

DA international relations spokesperson Ryan Smith said that as the civilian authority, Lamola wasresponsible for ensuring the country's international engagements aligned with the Constitution and the national interest.

"Minister Lamola’s utterances demonstrate a deep ineptitude for foreign affairs from South Africa’s chief diplomat who frequently uses undiplomatic language, clings desperately to outdated 1960s ANC ideology, and cares more about his party political dogma than the national interest."