Timothy Walker

Maritime Project Leader and Senior Researcher @issafrica 🌍 Tweeting in own capacity, RTs are not an endorsement

[ISS @ISSAfricaFR]

Les patrouilles navales conjointes qui avaient aidé à contenir la #piraterie somalienne sont affaiblies par la crise en mer Rouge et dans le détroit d’Ormuz.

Pendant ce temps, la pêche illégale continue de dévaster les moyens de subsistance côtiers — un problème non résolu qui pousse les populations vers la piraterie. 𝘐𝘚𝘚 𝘛𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 @timwalker919 https://t.co/VLGPfhe1PY

[Dean Wingrin @deanwingrin]

France's Marine Nationale (Navy) Jeanne d'Arc 2026 task group, comprising Landing Helicopter Dock Dixmude and stealth frigate Aconit, departs Table Bay on Friday, having spent a week enjoying the hospitality of Cape Town. Bon voyage!
@MarineNationale @FranceCapeTown #SouthAfrica

[ISS @issafrica]

Antarctica is warming fast – and the geopolitical competition is heating up with it. Does South Africa have the strategy to match?

Read our Southern Africa Report by Daniela Marggraff

https://t.co/MXchtr84zm

[Tegan Brink @AuHCSouthAfrica]

🇦🇺 was proud to support @issafrica dialogues on maritime security & governance. Today’s session highlighted the growing importance of the Cape of Good Hope to global shipping. Australia and South Africa will continue working towards a peaceful & prosperous Indian Ocean region.

[SABC News @SABCNews]

South Africa has intercepted four Chinese-flagged fishing vessels for unauthorised entry into its territorial waters, Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Willie Aucamp said on Thursday. https://t.co/98boVXhEcU

[Redi Tlhabi @RediTlhabi]

That is not the story! The announcement of a panel is NOT the story because it has happened already. The STORY, the new development, or what you call "Breaking News" is that the INQUIRY is now being relocated from Defence Ministry to the Presidency, and the panel will report to the highest office. You may read what you want from that, but get the basics right because the relocation is important and speaks to some nuances - independence, trust, fear of interference, proximity to wrong doers?????So let's try again: "The inquiry into the MOSI III Naval Execise will now be moved from the Defence Ministry to the Presidency. The panel has a month to report the president."

[Dean Wingrin @deanwingrin]

The original BOI members were appointed by the Minister of Defence. But it was then pointed out that the Defence Act required the members to be members of the SANDF, which they were not. Major blunder! So the President had to take the BOI over to use the same Panel members.

[Dean Wingrin @deanwingrin]

SA Defence budget for 2026/27 has been released… and it’s a shocker!
Herewith a few comments upon a very quick review.
Total 2026/27 Defence budget is set at R57.606 bn, a nominal decrease of approx 2.48% from the 2025/26 adjusted budget of R59.072 bn.
What does this mean?
/1 🧵

[Christiaan Triebert @trbrtc]

This vessel, BERTHA (9326055), was one of the “runaway” tankers following Maduro’s capture. It was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2024, citing its role in shipping Iranian oil to foreign markets: https://t.co/9IbJQtU45u.

[Lewis Goodall @lewis_goodall]

A really interesting and valuable piece.

[Ricardo Teixeira 🇿🇦 @1TrueRicardo]

SAS Amatola, lead ship of the Valour class, partaking in the International Fleet Review in Vishakhapatnam, ahead of exercise Milan 2026. Chief of the South African Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese was also present, with a delegation representing the South African Navy at the meeting of Naval chiefs later this week.

[ISS @ISSAfricaFR]

Le traité sur les #Chagos entre le Royaume-Uni et Maurice évoque à peine les Chagossiens : aucun calendrier de réinstallation, aucun engagement financier ni aucun rôle officiel dans la gouvernance de leurs îles.

𝘐𝘚𝘚 𝘛𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 par Timothy Walker sur la nécessité d’une #JusticeBleue @timwalker919 https://t.co/Y4Asaa3WuT

[Dean Wingrin @deanwingrin]

SAS Amatola of the South African Navy is at anchor off Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal, East coast of India this morning, accompanied by Indian and foreign warships for the International Fleet Review. She will later participate in the multinational maritime Exercise MILAN.

[ISS @issafrica]

Chagossians need guarantees that #Mauritius will implement the #Chagos treaty in a way that delivers justice, dignity and viable futures.

Timothy Walker on the crucial role of #BlueJustice, in ISS Today @timwalker919 https://t.co/ss4yK89y3N

[SAfmRadio 📻 @SAfmRadio]

[ON AIR] One of the world’s most pristine marine reserves is at the centre of a growing international controversy. Under a UK–Mauritius deal to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, fishing will be allowed in parts of a marine protected area (MPA) that has been closed for 16 years. Timothy Walker: Maritime Project Leader & Senior Researcher, @issafrica on #TheMorningBrief with Thulasizwe Simelane #sabcnews

[Mike the Warthog @thyphoidjack]

Some photos & video from today (22 Jan) at the Battle of Isandlwana
Note the British forces partaking and Red coat re-enactors

[Timothy Walker @timwalker919]

@darren_olivier Thanks, Darren!

[SAfmRadio 📻 @SAfmRadio]

[ON AIR] The French navy has intercepted a Russian oil tanker in the Western Mediterranean suspected of belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” highlighting ongoing European efforts to enforce sanctions aimed at curbing Moscow’s oil revenues used to finance its war in Ukraine. Timothy Walker: Maritime Project Leader & Senior Researcher, @issafrica on #TheMorningBrief with Thulasizwe Simelane #sabcnews

[Darren Olivier @darren_olivier]

There’s no valid excuse for Motshekga to be taking this long to set up a DOD Board of Inquiry. It also contradicts her statement last Friday that she had already established one.

Ramaphosa is also clearly in no hurry to force this along, despite how serious the allegations are.

[Darren Olivier @darren_olivier]

It’s unclear why the Iranians took so much longer to depart. Exercise participants will typically leave immediately after an exercise is over, as a mark of diplomatic politeness, and the other participants left days ago.

I’d hope the reason was technical, rather than petulant.