In order to strengthen the already burgeoning relations between South Africa, Russia and China, the joint maneuvers will take place off Durban, the largest port in southern Africa, and Richards Bay, some 180 kilometers to the north. This will be the second time such an exercise is held in the presence of the three naval forces, the first having taken place in November 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa.
These maneuvers will involve more than 350 South African troops from various services and divisions, along with their Russian and Chinese counterparts, with the aim of sharing skills and operational knowledge. South Africa, one of the continent's powers, has taken a neutral stance since the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24, refusing to join Western calls to condemn Moscow, a position criticized by the Democratic Alliance.
This opposition political force says that, contrary to its "neutral" stance on the war, South Africa's African National Congress party has effectively sided with Moscow.
