IN PHOTOS: BRICS+ navies arrive in South Africa

Several BRICS Plus nations have sent their navies to South Africa’s main naval base in Simon’s Town, Western Cape, for a joint training exercise between 9 and 16 January.

The training drill has been dubbed “Will for Peace 2026”, with countries such as China, Iran, and Russia participating throughout the week.

While the cooperative exercise may be a good idea in principle, military expert Helmoed Heitman has said that it is not the greatest move politically.

He argues that naval exercises can be particularly beneficial to navies should they need to cooperate in the case of piracy or a ship sinking. However, he said it is not a great move politically.

“It makes a lot of sense to exercise with the Chinese,” Heitman told Newzroom Afrika. “They’re a growing naval power. We need to be wary that their neighbours, such as India, regard them as a threat.”

“It makes a lot less sense to be exercising with Russia and Iran. They are strategically and economically irrelevant to us and are regarded as bullies by most of their neighbours.”

While the SANDF describes such exercises as routine “Passex” drills for communication, helicopter manoeuvres, and logistical replenishment, the geopolitical optics remain sensitive, particularly with the United States.

The gathering is likely to reignite tensions with Washington, at a time when relations between South Africa and the United States remain strained, nearly a year after President Donald Trump returned to the White House.

South Africa has drawn US criticism for its close ties with Russia and a range of other policies, including its decision to bring a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over the Gaza war.

South Africa faced sharp criticism from the US and the European Union when it hosted a similar BRICS naval drill in 2023, which coincided with the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Photos of navies arriving in Simon’s Town: