A British warship, the HMS Southampton, is expected to arrive in Cape Town on Monday for a visit on the final part of an eight-month deployment from the United Kingdom.
British vice-consul general Raziyah Johnston said the air-defence destroyer has operated around the Pacific, South America and the South Atlantic as the UK’s ”on call” warship in the area.
The warship has been based in the Falkland Islands for the past four months.
”She has conducted exercises with forces from other nations, including Peru, Chile, the United States, France and Argentina, as well as training with other British forces in the region,” said Johnston.
The ship, which entered service in 1981, caters for 25 officers and 250 sailors.
As the vessel prepared to arrive in Cape Town, commanding officer Richard Morris said he was very pleased to bring the ship on its first visit to South Africa.
”Our visit is a sign of the importance that the UK government places on both the South Atlantic region, and the relationship between our two nations,” said Morris.
The ship will be in Cape Town until November 12. — Sapa