4 weeks ago - China’s defence ministry said in a statement on Friday that the exercises, set to kick off with an opening ceremony on Saturday, are “joint operations to safeguard vital shipping lanes and economic activities”.

4 weeks ago - The exercise will include drills on counter-terrorism rescue and maritime strike operations, as well as professional technical exchanges and ship visits, China’s Ministry of National Defense said Friday. The South African National Defense Force on Thursday released photos of People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) destroyer CNS Tangshan (122), fleet oiler CNS Taihu (889) and Iranian Navy expeditionary sea base IRIS Makran (441) arriving in Simon’s Town. South African Navy frigate SAS Amatola (F145) was also docked at the base.

4 weeks ago - The Biden administration accused South Africa in 2023 of allowing a sanctioned Russian ship to dock at the Simon's Town naval base and load weapons to be taken to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

October 3, 2024 - The Ukrainian Association of South Africa said that the SA Navy Festival was supposed to focus on defence “rather than the killing of civilians”, but by inviting a Russian vessel, South Africa was effectively promoting the Russian military, which was continuously bombing and killing Ukrainian civilians, including children, with 1,331 drone attacks in September alone. Read more: Ukrainians outraged by SA hosting Russian Navy ship in Cape Town harbour · Currently docking in Simonstown: Neustrashimy, Pennant no 772, is the lead ship of the Neustrashimy-class frigate (Russian designation Project 11540 Yastreb) of the Russian Navy's Baltic Fleet.

1 month ago - “A force that bombs cities, occupies territory, deports and militarises children, and recruits vulnerable African citizens into its military aggression wants to bring similar ‘peace’ to South Africa?” · The Russian corvette Stoikiy (545) inside Simonstown naval harbour. (Photo: Brenton Geach) The SA Navy has described this as an exercise of the Brics-Plus group of 10 nations, but has not said which ones will participate. So far the Chinese guided missile destroyer Tangshan (No 122); the Chinese replenishment ship Taihu (No 889); the Russian corvette Stoikiy (No 545); the Russian oil tanker Yelnya; the Iranian corvette IRIS Naghdi (No 82); the Iranian forward base ship IRIS Makran (No 441); the Iranian expeditionary base ship IRIS Shahid Mahdavi (No 110-3); and the UAE corvette Bani Yas (No 110) have arrived in False Bay.

4 weeks ago - Vessels flying Chinese, Iranian and Russian flags have been seen sailing into South Africa's main naval base in Simon's Town on the Cape Peninsula in recent days. The week-long drill got under way on Friday. It is being led by China - and involves other members from an alliance of major developing countries, which when it was launched in 2006 was known as Bric.

1 month ago - China is leading the drills, which South Africa says are aimed at safeguarding maritime trade routes and boosting cooperation. The presence of Iran and Russia has raised concerns in Washington, where relations with Pretoria have remained strained.

3 weeks ago - The exercise comes as South Africa struggles to mend fences with the US, its second-biggest trading partner after China, amid criticism from the Trump administration about its close relations with Iran, Russia and China.

3 weeks ago - The government was "choosing closer military ties with rogue and sanctioned states such as Russia and Iran," it said. The exercise marks BRICS' increased emphasis on security issues, said Sarang Shidore, director of the Global South Program ...

4 weeks ago - The Biden administration accused South Africa in 2023 of allowing a sanctioned Russian ship to dock at the Simon's Town naval base and load weapons to be taken to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

3 weeks ago - The Biden administration accused South Africa in 2023 of allowing a sanctioned Russian ship to dock at the Simon’s Town naval base and load weapons to be taken to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

4 weeks ago - A Russian warship arrived off South Africa’s main naval base on Friday to join Chinese and Iranian vessels in multinational military exercises, a deployment that risks further straining Pretoria’s relations with the United States.

1 month ago - SIMON'S TOWN - Chinese and Iranian warships were docked off South Africa's main navy base on Thursday ahead of exercises that officials said were also meant to involve Russia.

1 month ago - Simon's Town (South Africa) (AFP) – Chinese and Iranian warships were docked off South Africa's main navy base Thursday ahead of exercises that officials said were also meant to involve Russia.

4 weeks ago - The Biden administration accused South Africa in 2023 of allowing a sanctioned Russian ship to dock at the Simon's Town naval base and load weapons to be taken to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

4 weeks ago - The Biden administration accused South Africa in 2023 of allowing a sanctioned Russian ship to dock at the Simon’s Town naval base and load weapons to be taken to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

4 weeks ago - A Russian warship arrived at a naval base off the South African coast on Friday to join Chinese and Iranian vessels in military exercises that risk further damaging Pretoria's relations with Washington.