South Africa has kicked off the “Will for Peace 2026” naval exercise, a week-long maritime drill led by China and featuring warships from Russia and Iran. The exercise, running from January 9 to 16, off the coast of Cape Town, signals a deepening military alignment within the expanded BRICS Plus bloc. However, the timing is fraught with diplomatic risk. Relations between Pretoria and Washington have reached a nadir under President Donald Trump, who has already imposed 30% tariffs on South African goods and expelled its ambassador last year. The drills have also sparked a firestorm within South Africa’s own coalition government. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has slammed the move, accusing President Ramaphosa of abandoning “neutrality”.
—
South Africa | Naval Drills | China | Russia | Iran | Warships | Peace 2026 Exercise | BRICS | Military Ties | Cape Town | Maritime Drill | US | South Africa Tensions | Firstpost Africa | Joshua Barnes | Africa | Global South | Geopolitics | Military Coup | Environment | Climate Change | Firstpost | News Live | World News | Latest News | Global News | International News | News | Trending News
#southafrica #navaldrills #china #russia #iran #brics #bricsplus #maritime #capetown #firstpostafrica #africa #joshuabarnes #globalsouth #militarycoup #firstpost #newslive #worldnews #latestnews #globalnews #news #internationalnews #trendingnews
Firstpost is an Indian news and media website. Get all the incisive opinions, in-depth analyses and other visual stories that matter to you and the world right here on this channel.
Subscribe to Firstpost channel and press the bell icon to get notified when we go live.
Follow Firstpost on Website:
Follow Firstpost on Instagram:
Follow Firstpost on Facebook:
Follow Firstpost on X:
Follow Firstpost on WhatsApp:
Why should South Africa's policy be influenced by 1 persons feelings ( i.e Trump)?? RSA has a right to self determination.
I think we need to call it like it is. In this era of US imperialism and expansion, the DA is revealing that it is the biggest threat to the stability of the SA nation. A political party in SA should not appeal to and act as if it is a political party within the US and especially not to the detriment of SA independence and sovereignty
🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦
Thanks MR JZ to joining bricks
South Africa is not control by Trump. Iranian are welcome in south Africa
Ayanda Sishi is deluded and not in touch with reality or 'Western hedgemony' 😊
I like that the propaganda which US was using to attack SA ,is actually turning against them 😕
To hell with the DA they neither represent the majority nor the interest of the natives.
South Africa hosting BRICS naval drills while facing pressure from Washington shows how the global balance is shifting. For decades, “neutrality” only mattered when it served Western interests. Now, countries in the Global South are building their own paths, even when it makes the US uncomfortable. This isn’t about provocation, it’s about autonomy in a world where power is no longer supposed to flow in just one direction.
The DA is a rubbish white settler organization that is delusional with liberalism. SA is an independent country with it's own sovereignty. We are part of BRICS with our partners.
Fck Trump. We together with our allies will be able to everthrow Usa easily. And trump knows this
BRICS "minus" INDIA:
India has rejected Brazil's proposal of de-dollarization in BRICS summit last year 2025.
Same as India's EAM Jaishankar at Doha Forum Dec 2024, "…We have always said that India has never been for de-dollarisation, … US is our largest trade partner, we have no interest in weakening the dollar at all"
As a DA supporter, I say f… The DA!
Anything we can do to piss Trump off, should be given top priority by all. Die man is 'n DOOS!
Trump is loser
No Jesus No Peace
Humanity needs Jesus 🙏 Repent
God Bless protect Ukraine Civilians Lord Jesus Amen
That's the cheap exercise, if Brics were one they could have helped Iran when Trump and Bibi went to destroy the Nuclear weapons, My msg to Iran plz go back and solve your problems in Tehran
I think Putin and his administration already know that South Africa is NOT reliable. This is due to its so called neutral position on balance of forces. I wish I could be recruited into political and military intelligence internationally. Trump thinks Russians aren't aware of his media attacks on South African so called genocide. People know his selling a narrative that will mislead Russia to "believe" that South Africa is an adversary to US. It's counter intelligence at its weakest. What fails Truml most is the low publicity from Democrats media. Yeshuwa is coming sooner
Screw Trump and his thugs!!! Viva BRICS!
What are we supposed to be shaking in our boots God Trump will do what to us?
Brilliant demonstration of territorial sovereignty and the denunciation of the rogue and murderous US regime's violation of international law by Ramaposa! We stand with you, you cannot align yourself with a deranged, narcissist who is murdering people at will in the name of natural resources of other sovereign nations! 💯 🇳🇦
💪💪🇷🇺🇮🇷🇨🇳🌍🇻🇪🇲🇽🇰🇵🇿🇦🦾🦾
Marete aga Donald Trump
Trump must go to hell . China and Russia including all the BRICS Country's are our friends
Nothing to do with the USA…We (South Africa) are not friends with that warmongering, kidnapping and murderous pirate regime.
🇿🇦
i m very sure trump given limited time by his doctor and suspect cancer also angry with case above his head as if USA stab him with knife after stand by them he is angry with everyone he just do what he want he decided 1st priority is than any person to plz himself sick and tired of trying to plz stupid humans
Trump is not going to survive the midterm elections, so he'll get impeached and so there's nothing to worry about!!! We'll keep our sovereignty as the South African nation, thank you!!!
Some hectic comments, shame 😂😂😂
ALL EUROPEANS MUST LEAVE MY COUNTRY SOUTH AFRICA IMMEDIATELY
Alot of South Africans would like to join those drills
We don't need Americans…
The USA are idiots
To hell with the ANC and their ignorant puppets. This is indeed a form of new imperialism. Arrogant, misinformed an rotten to the core.
These drills are anc lead , democratic alliance had no say
Please take all the anc comrades with you Russia….when you leave
You are so wrong
South Africans should realise that the DA is made up of the same tribe that oppressed the country for over 60 years!!!!
America is evil terrorist power, and still doesn't realize, that AAmerican empire has been collecting…Petro-dollar are not backing any more American Satanic worshipers military… Brics nation must stopped evil greedy warmongers 😂😂.. VIVA Brics ❤
this anc government needs to be reached a leason this is blant end arrogance Trunp please send the reaper to south Africa
F the DA, friends with Trump.
Beautiful and I'm proud to be South African 🇿🇦
DA must relocate to US and its followers 🙂
The DA is just asking for a genocide that we've been a avoiding ever since
Dear Pres. Trump & Marco Rubio plus Elon Musk – pls remember to adopt Representative Ronnie Jackson's bill to sanction the corrupt & Racist anc government of South Africa & it's thieving government terrorists !