Simonstown Naval Agreement Momentarily Revitalised
On 27 January 1961, the Chief of the apartheid South African Defence Force (SADF), Commandant General Rudolph Hiemstra, announced the successful conclusion of British-South African talks on aspects of the Simonstown Naval Agreement for the defence of sea routes around Southern Africa. The Simonstown Agreement dated back to 30 June 1955, when it was signed by apartheid South Africa and Great Britain. In terms of this agreement, the South African Navy was expanded and the Simonstown base and Naval Dockyard were handed over to South Africa on 1 April 1957.
The agreement also permitted the SA Navy to buy six new Type 12 (modified Rothesay Class) anti-submarine frigates, ten Ton Class coastal minesweepers and five Ford Class seaward defence boats from the United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain valued at £18 million over the following eight years. Accordingly, the Simonstown Agreement initiated an era of unprecedented expansion and modernisation of the South African Navy between 1955 and 1963, resulting in the development of a small but highly professional, efficient and well-equipped naval force.
Under the agreement, the UK Royal Navy (RN) gave up its naval base at Simonstown and transferred command of the South African Navy (SAN) to the apartheid government. In return, South Africa promised the use of the Simonstown base to Royal Navy ships. In effect, the agreement was a mutual geostrategic defence arrangement aimed at p
