South Africa is facing a diplomatic storm after its army chief, General Rudzani Maphwanya, came under fire for remarks pledging political and military support to Iran during a recent visit to Tehran. The government has moved swiftly to distance itself from the comments, with senior officials describing them as “unfortunate” and not reflective of official foreign policy.
General Maphwanya’s trip was initially aimed at enhancing military cooperation between the two countries. However, during meetings with Iranian officials, he declared that South Africa and Iran shared “common goals” and stood “alongside the oppressed and defenceless people of the world.” According to Iranian media, he also used the occasion to voice solidarity with Palestinians, condemning Israel’s war in Gaza, and suggested his visit carried a political message from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration.
The statements sparked backlash at home and abroad. Members of South Africa’s governing coalition accused the general of “reckless grandstanding,” while the Democratic Alliance (DA) demanded he be court-martialled for straying beyond military-to-military engagement into the realm of foreign policy. President Ramaphosa has confirmed he will meet Maphwanya to discuss the “ill-advised” visit, while his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya clarified that the president had neither sanctioned nor been informed of the trip.
The incident comes amid already strained relations between Pretoria and Washington. The United States has expressed concern over South Africa’s warm ties with Tehran, with former President Donald Trump previously citing the relationship as justification for cutting aid. Trump also accused Ramaphosa’s government—falsely—of persecuting white citizens and criticized Pretoria’s legal challenge against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
South Africa’s relationship with Iran dates back nearly three decades, when a joint commission of cooperation was established in 1995. While Pretoria has long positioned itself as a champion of the Palestinian cause, the latest row underscores the risks of high-level military officials straying into sensitive diplomatic territory.
With General Maphwanya now back in South Africa, Ramaphosa faces the task of repairing the fallout while balancing the country’s long-standing ties with Iran against mounting international scrutiny, particularly from the United States.
