South African Navy

/ 4 February 2024

How the SANDF has declined over 30 years

The hollowing out of the armed forces was laid bare in 2023, when it was disclosed that 85% of the air force’s aircraft fleet was out of action

By Theo Neethling

National

/ 28 May 2023

Lady R, the talk of Simon’s Town when residents had front seat view of the Russian ship

The harbour master was ordered to allow the Russian cargo vessel to dock at the naval port and told not to board it

By Eunice Masson

Africa

/ 30 August 2021

Mozambique insurgency: focus needs to shift to preventing criminality at sea

Mozambique is in no position to contribute significantly to the broader array of maritime security endeavours. That’s why international partners need to play a role

By Francois Vreÿ

National

/ 6 August 2021

SANDF sends ‘Goats’ to Mozambique to fight insurgents

South Africa’s new military weapon takes a leaf out of the Libyan rebel forces’ handbook as it lands in Mozambique to fight insurgents

By Erika Gibson

Article

/ 11 July 2016

Pirate fishing vessels are fined, but SA’s ocean policing is woefully inadequate

Fines are a slap on the wrist as trawlers simply return to sea, revealing the difficulty of patrolling SA’s 1.5-million kilometre square waters.

By Sipho Kings

Article

/ 9 June 2016

Sea blindness and quick fixes destroy oceans

“This is the moment where African countries have to take control of their oceans, for the benefit of their own people.”

By Sipho Kings

No image available

Article

/ 27 May 2008

Minister: Navy not short of submarine crews

Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota on Tuesday rejected claims that the South African Navy only had enough qualified crew to operate one of its new state-of-the-art submarines. ”I don’t know what the source of the information is that we can only operate one submarine … that is absolutely fallacious,” he told a media briefing at Parliament.

By Staff Reporter

No image available

Article

/ 16 March 2008

Sexwale tells Mbeki to come clean on arms deal

Senior African National Congress leader Tokyo Sexwale has called on President Thabo Mbeki to explain his involvement in the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal, a media report said on Sunday. Sexwale made an impassioned plea to a hushed ANC national executive committee meeting on Friday for Mbeki "to take the ANC into his confidence".

By Staff Reporter

No image available

Article

/ 15 November 2007

SA companies benefited greatly from frigate deal

Local companies have benefited to the tune of R850-million from defence offset contracts for equipment installed aboard the South African Navy’s four new Valour-class frigates. South Africa has acquired the four new frigates at a total cost of about €500-million (about R4,9-billion).

By Staff Reporter

No image available

Article

/ 5 November 2007

German firm pledges R1,7bn SA investment

A German manufacturing company has invested about R284-million in South Africa’s first fabrication yard for oil and gas platforms as part of a R1,7-billion investment pledge, government news agency BuaNews reported on Monday. MAN Ferrostaal has opened the fabrication yard for oil and gas platforms at Saldanha Bay near Cape Town.

By Staff Reporter

No image available

Article

/ 14 October 2007

‘Iceberg’-spotting vessel returns to harbour

The Ntini fishing vessel docked at Mossel Bay on Saturday, nearly a week after its crew reported sighting an iceberg south-east of St Francis Bay, said the National Sea Rescue Institute. Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said that despite rumours to the contrary, no one on board had taken photographs of the iceberg.

By Staff Reporter

No image available

Article

/ 9 October 2007

Huge iceberg off St Francis Bay ‘unlikely’

It is highly unlikely that there could be a massive iceberg off St Francis Bay, a top South African Weather Service marine researcher said on Tuesday. On Monday, the crew of a fishing vessel, the Ntini, reported seeing a massive iceberg — estimated at 25m in length and 25m high.

By Staff Reporter

No image available

Article

/ 4 September 2007

SA submarine outwits Nato force

A lone South African submarine left some Nato commanders with red faces on Tuesday as it ”sank” all the ships of the Nato Maritime Group engaged in exercises with the South African Navy off the Cape coast. The SAS Manthatisi not only evaded detection by a joint Nato and South African Navy search party, it also ”sank” all the ships taking part in the fleet.

By Louis Oelofse

No image available

Article

/ 4 September 2007

SA submarine achieves world first

The SAS Manthatisi has become the first naval submarine in the world to be brought into a new class by the International Classification Society, Germanischer Lloyd, the South African Navy said on Tuesday. ”Through the certification of SAS Manthatisi, the SA Navy adds another ”world first” to its long list of achievements,” Captain Digby Thomson said.

By Staff Reporter

No image available

Article

/ 3 September 2007

Nato, SA in naval-warfare exercise

Forget the blazing guns of yesteryear — these days naval warfare is a high-tech and sophisticated operation. This became clear on Monday as an exercise involving Nato warships and the South African Navy got under way off the South African coast.

By Louis Oelofse

How the SANDF has declined over 30 years

Lady R, the talk of Simon’s Town when residents had front seat view of the Russian ship

Mozambique insurgency: focus needs to shift to preventing criminality at sea

SANDF sends ‘Goats’ to Mozambique to fight insurgents

Pirate fishing vessels are fined, but SA’s ocean policing is woefully inadequate

Sea blindness and quick fixes destroy oceans

Minister: Navy not short of submarine crews

Sexwale tells Mbeki to come clean on arms deal

SA companies benefited greatly from frigate deal

German firm pledges R1,7bn SA investment

‘Iceberg’-spotting vessel returns to harbour

Huge iceberg off St Francis Bay ‘unlikely’

SA submarine outwits Nato force

SA submarine achieves world first

Nato, SA in naval-warfare exercise

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