Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance (DA) demands the immediate court-martial of SANDF Chief, General Rudzani Maphwanya, for gross misconduct and a flagrant breach of the SANDF Code of Conduct following his recent political pronouncements in Tehran.
According to Iranian state media, General Maphwanya went far beyond his constitutional and professional mandate, pledging “common goals” with Iran, endorsing its stance on Gaza, and calling for deeper strategic alignment.
Such political statements are explicitly prohibited for serving officers, violate the SANDF’s duty of political neutrality, and undermine the constitutional principle of civilian control over the military.
In a rare rebuke, both the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and the Ministry of Defence have publicly dissociated government from Maphwanya’s remarks, confirming they do not reflect official policy. Yet the SANDF’s own media response has been defensive and dismissive, while Minister of Defence Angie Motshekga’s deafening silence amounts to a failure of leadership and an alarming unwillingness to enforce military discipline at the highest level.
This reckless political freelancing by the Chief of the SANDF is not an isolated incident, it forms part of a wider pattern of foreign policy adventurism that is economically destructive, diplomatically reckless, and dangerously misaligned with South Africa’s national interest. From alienating key democratic allies to embracing authoritarian regimes under sanctions, this approach is steadily eroding trade, investment, and security partnerships essential to our country’s stability and prosperity
Under the Military Discipline Supplementary Measures Act, this conduct is a military offence punishable by dismissal or cashiering.
The only appropriate response is an immediate court-martial to restore discipline, reaffirm the SANDF’s apolitical character, and send a clear message that no one, regardless of rank, is above the Constitution or the law.
The DA will formally demand that Minister Motshekga instruct the Adjutant General to initiate proceedings without delay. South Africa’s national security, diplomatic standing, and constitutional order depend on it.
Regards
Chris Hattingh MP
DA Spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans