The Democratic Alliance demands that President Cyril Ramaphosa commit to making public the findings into the failure to implement his instruction that Iran’s navy must no longer participate in Exercise Will for Peace.
The President’s latest parliamentary reply gives the investigative panel until 31 October to report, but leaves publication undecided, citing security and international relations considerations. Parliament and the public are being asked to wait without any assurance that they will receive the answers.
The central issue is civilian authority over the SANDF. Did the Commander-in-Chief’s instruction reach those responsible for executing it, where did implementation fail, and who will face consequences?
Government acknowledged non-compliance in February. The Presidency explicitly referred to the failure to heed the President’s instruction. International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola confirmed in a parliamentary reply on 26 February:
“An enquiry is under way to ascertain why the instruction from the President was not implemented.”
On 16 January, Defence Minister Angie Motshekga announced an inquiry with a seven-day reporting deadline. More than a month later, the investigation was moved to the Presidency to ensure an independent and timeous probe, with one calendar month to report. A subsequent reply referred to six months. The deadline is now more than eight months after the presidential panel’s appointment.
In a functioning military and government, the Commander-in-Chief should be able to obtain initial confirmation within 30 minutes of asking whether his instruction was carried out. A fair investigation into individual responsibility cannot justify withholding the basic command facts for months.
The appointment of senior judicial and military figures, the prolonged investigation and the substantial legal costs underline the gravity with which government has treated this incident. That makes the Presidency’s unwillingness to commit to publishing the findings even more troubling.
The DA will oppose a repeat of the secrecy surrounding the Lady R investigation. Any genuinely sensitive information must be specifically justified and handled through appropriate parliamentary oversight. It cannot excuse withholding findings on compliance with presidential instructions and the consequences for those responsible.
The latest reply also reveals R3,943,735 in invoices for the evidence leader and junior alone. This is only part of the taxpayer bill, it excludes the costs of the two judges and a rear admiral serving on the panel, funded separately through the Departments of Justice and Defence. The total cost remains undisclosed despite an explicit parliamentary question.
The President must explain the extensions, commit to publishing the findings and recommendations, and account to Parliament for the action that follows. Civilian control of the military requires visible accountability.