MBABANESouth Africa has defended weeklong naval drills with Russia, Iran, China and other countries as “essential”, describing the manoeuvres off its coast as a vital response to rising maritime tensions globally, Aljazeera reported.
The “Will for Peace 2026” exercises that began on Saturday off the coast of Cape Town come just days after the United States seized a Venezuela-linked Russian oil tanker in the North Atlantic, saying it had violated Western sanctions.
The seizure, part of a continued US pressure campaign against Venezuela, followed US attacks on the South American country and the abduction of its president, Nicolas Maduro.
But the naval exercises also come at a time of heightened tensions between US President Donald Trump’s administration and several BRICS Plus countries, including China, Iran, South Africa and Brazil.
Captain Nndwakhulu Thomas Thamaha, South Africa’s joint task force commander, told the opening ceremony on Saturday that the drills were more than a military exercise and a statement of intent among the BRICS group of nations.
“It is a demonstration of our collective resolve to work together,” Thamaha said.
“In an increasingly complex maritime environment, cooperation such as this is not an option, it is essential.”
The exercises also aimed to “ensure the safety of shipping lanes and maritime economic activities”, he added.
South Africa defends hosting military drills with China, Russia and Iran in Cape Town amid global tensions (pic:via Aljazeera).