| South African Navy | |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans: Suid-Afrikaanse Vloot | |
 | |
| Founded | 1st April 1922 |
| Country |  South Africa |
| Type | Navy |
| Role | Naval warfare |
| Size |
|
| Part of |  South African NDF |
| Garrison/HQ | Saldanha Bay, Simon's Town, Western Cape, South Africa |
| Colors | Green and white |
| Fleet | |
| Website | http://www.navy.mil.za |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-chief | President Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Chief of the SANDF | General Rudzani Maphwanya |
| Chief of the Navy | Vice Admiral Monde Lobese |
| Master at Arms of the Navy | Senior Chief Warrant Officer Matee Molefe[1] |
| Notable commanders | Admiral Hugo Biermann, Vice Admiral Refiloe Johannes Mudimu |
| Insignia | |
| Ensign |  |
| Jack |  |
The South African Navy (SA Navy) is the naval warfare branch of the South African National Defence Force.
The Navy is primarily engaged in maintaining a conventional military deterrent, participating in counter-piracy operations, fishery protection, search and rescue, and upholding maritime law enforcement for the benefit of South Africa and its international partners.[2][3]
Today the South African Navy is one of the most capable naval forces in the African region, operating a mixed force of sophisticated warships, submarines, patrol craft, and auxiliary vessels, with over 7,000 personnel; including a marine force.
With formerly deep historical and political connections to the United Kingdom, the first emergence of a naval organisation was the creation of the South African Division of the British Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1913, before becoming an nominally independent naval service for the Union of South Africa in 1922.[4]
In its history, South African naval vessels and personnel have participated in the First and Second World Wars, as well as the South African Border War. In the apartheid post-war era, the South African Navy was extensively aligned with NATO and other Western nations against the Soviet Bloc.[5]
- ^ Wingrin, Dean (2 February 2018). "New Master-At-Arms for the Navy". Defenceweb. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
- ^ "Role of the SA Navy - Page 3". www.navy.mil.za. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ "Fact file: The SA Navy's mandate". defenceWeb. 4 November 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ Potgieter, T. D. (2000). "Maritime defence and the South African Navy to the cancellation of the Simon's Town agreement". Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies. 30 (2). doi:10.5787/30-2-173. ISSN 2224-0020.
- ^ Heitman, Helmoed-Römer. (1985). South African war machine. Bromley: Galago. ISBN 0-946995-80-X. OCLC 122701325.