South Africa’s main opposition DA party has condemned the government for conducting joint navy exercises with Russia, calling it “tone deaf” and a “terrible error of judgement”.Russia has been dealt sanctions by a number of world powers for its belligerence in Ukraine but appears to have found allies among African nations, some of whom abstained from a UN security council resolution condemning the invasion or have military deals with the country.
The first military exercise between South Africa and Russia was reportedly in November 2019.This week’s exercise happened at a naval base off Durban and included China’s navy too.
Last week, South Africa’s government was in hot water for allowing a Russian oligarch to dock his superyacht in Cape Town against the wishes of the city’s mayor.