South Africa’s military chief, General Rudzani Maphwanya, has been officially cleared of any misconduct following his controversial official trip to Iran. The visit had drawn sharp criticism for his remarks aligning South Africa with Iran and condemning Israel, straining relations with key allies like the US. The South African National Defence Force confirmed the trip was pre-authorized and focused on bilateral discussions, with the general providing a satisfactory report to the defense minister. An anonymous source suggested the controversy was fueled by internal detractors ahead of his impending retirement. While opposition parties like the Democratic Alliance condemned the general’s diplomatic overreach, the Economic Freedom Fighters defended South Africa’s sovereign right to engage with Iran, highlighting the political tensions surrounding the incident.
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