Thursday, September 4, 2025
In light of the activities of South Africa’s Group of 20 (G20) Presidency, the Department of Defence has announced that it is in discussions regarding the postponement of the joint naval exercise scheduled for November 2025, involving South Africa, Russia, and China.
According to reports, the upcoming naval exercise was set to coincide with the G20 Leaders’ Summit, which will take place on 22 and 23 November 2025, in Johannesburg.
“In consultation with the Presidency and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the Department of Defence is engaging its counterparts in the People’s Republic of China on a postponement of the exercise to a mutually suitable date.
“This is to ensure that the exercises do not impact the logistical, security and other arrangements associated with South Africa’s G20 Presidency,” the statement read.
The Department of Defence said this is the third iteration of the exercise, which takes place every two years between these BRICS partners, with China as the host for this year’s exercise.
The department believes that South Africa’s participation in military exercises of this nature with various countries is part of the furtherance of sound multilateral and bilateral relations.
“As it has in the past, South Africa continues to hold joint military exercises with a broad range of countries. In the last few years, the SANDF [South African National Defence Force] has conducted joint and multinational military exercises with countries such as Brazil, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.”
A naval exercise is a military drill intended to evaluate tactics, enhance interoperability, and foster cooperation among navies.
These exercises typically incorporate both simulations and real-world scenarios, including tactical manoeuvres, search and rescue operations, and anti-piracy drills. – SAnews.gov.za
