South Africa's top military official, General Rudzani Maphwanya, is facing criticism from both the presidency and the foreign ministry after reportedly expressing solidarity with Iran and calling for closer defence cooperation during a recent visit to Tehran. President Cyril Ramaphosa's office described the remarks as unhelpful, especially as the country seeks to repair strained relations with the United States and negotiate a new trade deal to avoid steep tariffs on exports. The foreign ministry echoed these concerns, while a major political party has called for Maphwanya to be court-martialled, accusing him of breaching military neutrality. The controversy comes at a sensitive time, with heightened geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and the president's office stated that Ramaphosa was not aware of the general's visit.