Vice Admiral Monde Lobese says the SA Navy Festival strengthens community ties
SA Navy Festival 2026 drew thousands to Simon’s Town on Saturday as the Right of Entry Parade brought drums, colours and the South African Navy Band into Jubilee Square, reports Cape {town} Etc.
The SA Navy Festival parade formed the centrepiece of the three-day festival, which ran from 16 to 19 April and invited the public into the heart of Naval Base Simon’s Town.
In SA Navy’s Facebook post the Vice Admiral Monde Lobese told the crowd the Navy wanted to deepen its ties with residents.
‘Today we reaffirm our commitment by stating clearly that we are here in Simon’s Town,’ he said, adding that the service aims to ‘foster collaboration, understanding and support’ in the community.
He also encouraged visitors to attend despite the rain, using the Navy adage: ‘There is no rain in the Navy, the Navy is in the rain.’
According to navy.mil The tradition dates back to a civic honour that allows the Navy to march through the town ‘with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed’, a symbolic gesture of trust between the military and Simon’s Town.
The 2026 festival also showcased recent operational activity, including SAS Adam Kok III’s anti-narcotics mission and the rescue of Cape to Rio yacht race winners after their yacht sank.
Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp Channel for content worth tapping into! Click here to join!
Also read:
Picture: SA National Defence Force / Facebook
