Leon Steyn

The multinational naval exercise WILL FOR PEACE, hosted by the South African Navy in Simon’s Town, brought the navies of China, Russia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates to Cape waters in January 2026. The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) was represented by three vessels, the Bayandor-class corvette IRIS Naghdi (F82), the forward base ship IRIS Makran (K441) and the converted oil tanker, IRIS Shahid Mahdavi (L110-3) of the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran. 

The focus of this article is not on the exercise or current political affairs, but rather to shed light on previous naval interactions, between Iran and South Africa during the 1970s – more than fifty years ago.

‘In the 1970s the governments of South Africa and Iran, neither democratically legitimated, embarked on a policy of cooperation, aimed at furthering national interest and maintaining the domestic political status quo.’ (Chehabi, 2016, 707). The South African government, led by JB Vorster, was an apartheid state characterised by growing militarisation and international pressure, with internal mass resistance developing rapidly. In turn, the Iranian government of the 1970s was an autocratic monarchy led by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, characterised by swift modernisation, economic growth, westernisation, and increased internal political repression. Growing opposition eventually culminated in the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Pahlavi monarchy to establish an Islamic Republic under the Ayatollah Khomeini. The Imperial Iranian Navy (IIN) of the Pahlavi era subsequently became the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN), of the present day...

The move of a former South African Navy Daphne-class submarine from the Dockyard to its permanent display site at the new annex of the Naval Museum in Simon’s Town must rank as one of the most significant achievements in local ship preservation and can only be described as truly monumental. This mega move was carried out by the heavy lift contractor Vanguard during July and involved a complex over-land move of the 58 metre submarine with its estimated weight of almost 700 tons.

Preparations for the move had already commenced in November 2022 with the laying of foundations on the new site for the mounting of the submarine, followed by the fabrication and fitting of lifting frames on the hull which was sponsored and carried out by Damen Shipyard and facilitated by Armscor Dockyard. On 25 June this year, all preparations on the submarine were complete and SAS Assegaai was finally moved to a position from which it could be lifted by the Vanguard hydraulic lifting platforms.

The move itself was not without its challenges and tested the resolve of both the project team, Dockyard workers and Vanguard, but all were reminded that ‘calm seas do not make skilled sailors!’ At the first attempt, on the 8th of July, the submarine came off the blocks in the afternoon and the trek towards the museum site commenced. But at the first 90-degree turn, it became apparent that the loading frames were not sufficiently compatible with the load points of the moving...

In line with the important political reforms of 1994 and in time for the International Fleet Review of 1997, the Ministry of Defence initiated the renaming of nine South African Navy Minister class strike craft on 28 February 1997. On 1 April 1997 strike craft P1568 SAS Kobie Coetsee was renamed SAS Job Masego [sic]. Boat 8 – as it was more commonly referred to – remained in commission for another two years until 5 November 1999 when it was disposed of and eventually sold for scrap in 2008. In a further act of remembrance, the SA Navy also named its officer’s wardroom in Simon’s Town – the Job Masego Wardroom. This wardroom was previously known as “Rhodesia-by-the-Sea” after a former hotel built by the Rhodesian government in the 1950s.

But since the renaming in 1997, the correct spelling of Job Maseko’s surname, i.e. whether it should be spelled ‘Masego’ or ‘Maseko’ has often been contested, most notably by those living in members of the wardroom. The matter was brought to the fore this year and Chief of the Navy requested the Navy Command Council to resolve this ambiguity once and for all. The Officer-in-Charge of the Naval Museum was therefore tasked by Chief of Fleet Staff to determine the correct spelling of the surname and associated nomenclature and to provide guidance and recommendations for further actions to remedy the fault.

To conduct the necessary research, the historian Commander Leon Steyn therefore visited the DoD Archives in Irene in early May this year...

On 25 May 1978, the SA Navy hydrographic survey vessel, the SAS PROTEA under command of Capt C.J.H. Wagenfeld rescued twenty-six crew members from the Japanese crab fishing boat, the Kaiyo Maru No 1, which foundered off the Skeleton Coast of Namibia. Shortly thereafter, PROTEA was involved in another mercy mission to evacuate a heart attack victim from the tanker Texaco Sweden off the Namibian coast. SAS PROTEA was justly rewarded that year with the award of the SA Navy Sword of Peace for humanitarian efforts.

Article from The Citizen reporting on the recue

Rear Admiral Bernard Teuteberg (retired) provided a detailed account of how the rescue effort unfolded on 25 May 1978:

“I remember the day very well. I was working on one of the survey boats (running lines to and from the coast out to the 50 m isobath) in the company of the other survey boat (Pikkewyn and Skimmer).  The PRO was operating out of sight to the north of us.  We received a radio transmission from the ship, ordering us to cease survey operations and make our way north at best speed in order to join the ship.

PRO had received the distress call from the Kaiyo Maru and had determined that the stranding was to the north of her...

A city steeped in military history gives locals and visitors a glimpse into the past. The abundance of museums and memorials ensure that the city’s military past is remembered.

'Military history is an integral part of the story of Cape Town. Being the oldest city in South Africa, Cape Town has a rich history and the military plays a large part in that story. We cannot erase this history but instead need to preserve it as part of our heritage and an inclusive city. It is interesting to see where and how it all started,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Tourism, Events and Economic Development, Councillor Eddie Andrews.

The launch of the Military Heritage Route is a part of the City of Cape Town’s culture and heritage strategy. The route, which includes the Castle of Good Hope, the South African Naval Museum in Simon’s Town, and the Chavonnes Battery Museum, showcases the rich military heritage that Cape Town has to offer Capetonians and visitors.

The map from the launches that happened during September 2016

The Castle of Good Hope is the oldest surviving building in South Africa’s colonial era and has been the centre of civilian, political and military life at the Cape since 1666. It was initially erected as a fort and about 13 years later (1679) was turned into the Castle of...