South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have strongly criticised what they describe as an “arrogant posture” adopted by the United States, following Washington’s reported demand for clarity regarding the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Chief, General Rudzani Maphwanya’s, recent visit to Iran.
The political tension emerges at a time of heightened scrutiny around South Africa’s global alliances and foreign policy independence. In a statement released on Thursday, the EFF dismissed the American stance as presumptuous and labelled it an affront to the nation’s sovereignty. The party also took aim at what it considered undue political interference by South Africa’s own executive in military matters.
This diplomatic friction stems from reports that General Maphwanya’s trip to Iran triggered discomfort in Washington, which has long viewed Iran through the lens of strategic hostility. Yet, the EFF rebuffed any suggestion that South Africa must justify its foreign engagements.
According to the party, Pretoria’s foreign relations are not dictated by foreign powers, regardless of their global standing. It also questioned the political leadership’s hesitance in defending the SANDF’s autonomy, implying a willingness to appease the United States for political favour.
The party positioned the visit to Iran not as a provocative act, but as a legitimate bilateral engagement aligned with BRICS collaboration. It argued that South Africa has every right to deepen military and diplomatic ties with Iran, a fellow BRICS participant.
The EFF also cast Washington’s concerns as rooted in double standards. It highlighted America’s alliances with countries such as Israel and Ukraine—both flashpoints in global conflict narratives—and accused the US of leveraging diplomacy selectively to protect its own strategic interests.
The trip by General Maphwanya, according to the party, had been scheduled well in advance, suggesting it was not a reactionary move nor intended to provoke diplomatic tension. Instead, the EFF suggested that geopolitical disputes between the United States and Iran should not derail South Africa’s bilateral engagements with Tehran.
The statement further claimed that President Cyril Ramaphosa appeared to distance himself from the visit, a move the party described as cowardly and subservient.
The party’s message extended beyond just military relations. It drew a broader ideological line in support of Iran’s right to self-defence and its support for Palestine, positioning this as a moral response to perceived imperial aggression.
General Maphwanya, the party maintained, should resist any efforts by political leaders to control the direction of the SANDF. In their view, the military must retain its institutional independence, free from executive pressure.
Calling attention to the larger shift in global power structures, the EFF criticised what it described as the outdated expectation of Western dominance in shaping international affairs.
In closing, the EFF called upon the South African government to assert its foreign policy independence and to resist external pressures that may compromise national sovereignty or strategic priorities.
