The SAAF Forum

New leaders take the helm of SA Navy ships Amatola and King Shaka Zulu

Just weeks into her tenure, she led SAS Amatola on the South African Navy’s first external deployment in a decade, a 98-day voyage that took the frigate to Visakhapatnam, India, in February 2026, to participate in the prestigious International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 and Exercise Milan. On the return voyage, Amatola conducted goodwill visits to China, Malaysia, Kenya and Tanzania.

She acknowledged the significance of being entrusted with the ship so early into her command, noting the support provided by Jones, who accompanied the deployment as Task Group Commander.

“It felt like I’m repeating history, but this time I’ve been promoted to a higher post,” she said, referring to her participation in a previous Indian fleet review in 2016 as navigation officer aboard frigate SAS Spioenkop.

With further commitments potentially including Exercise Red Lion, Operation Corona and Exercise IBSAMAR later this year, her focus remains maintaining the vessel’s operational readiness before its planned Docking and Essential Defects (DED) period in June next year.

“The vision is to maintain operational availability and readiness for the South African Navy and South Africa,” she said.

The handover also provided an opportunity for Jones to reflect on a command period that transformed the frigate’s fortunes.

When he took command, he said SAS Amatola was effectively a “dead” ship, stuck in a maintenance period, with little support, while sister vessels SAS Spioenkop and SAS Mendi carried the operational burden.

Jones said his response was to unite the ship’s company around a shared purpose and lead by example.

Jones then shared his experience for other seagoing Officers Commanding who may find themselves in a similar position. This included “unite and care for your ships company and you will see them working for you,” “treat the Armscor Dockyard and contractors with respect and your outcomes may change,” and “OCs, get your hands dirty, this is what your crews desire. Too many OCs are sitting back waiting for things to change, you must be the change.”

That approach eventually produced results. During his command SAS Amatola emerged from her DED period, completed trials and training cycles and returned to operational service.

Under Jones, SAS Amatola participated in World Hydrographic Day (2024 and 2025), Exercise Red Lion (2024 and 2025), Exercise IBSAMAR VIII, Exercise Will for Peace, Exercise Milan 2026 and Exercise Sekhukhu 2026, as well as four Operation Corona deployments along the South African coastline, accumulating a total of 346 days deployed and more than 40 000 nautical miles steamed.

Jones described the recent deployment to India and beyond as the culmination of a vision established years earlier: “As I approach my last sunset in command of Amatola, I wish to reflect on our journey from a dead ship to crossing the Indian Ocean.”

He handed over an operational vessel and offered Madiba one final piece of advice: “This ship’s company is your biggest asset. Look after them and allow them to work for you.”

The second parade saw Commander Leon van Zyl assume command of SAS King Shaka Zulu from Commander Gurshwin Herwels, under whose command the MMIPV became the first vessel of its class in the SA Navy to qualify at both mine warfare and mission levels of capability, accumulating over 30 000 nautical miles and 1 700 hours at sea.

Van Zyl, who joined the Navy in 2001, described command as the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition. “It means everything,” he said. “It’s everything I’ve worked for since day one.”

His focus now is straightforward: getting the MMIPV to sea as much as possible.

“I want to get as many sea hours as I can, take part in as many operations and exercises as possible,” he said. He named Exercise IBSAMAR in October and further Operation Corona deployments as key objectives, and expressed particular ambition to prove the multi-mission capabilities for which the new class of vessels was procured, including mine warfare and diving.