The Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) has filed a lawsuit in South Africa’s North Gauteng High Court seeking to halt the country’s arms exports to the United States, arguing that continued weapons sales violate national law and undermine international peace and security.
According to court documents, SALC contends that South Africa’s National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) failed to properly apply provisions of the National Conventional Arms Control Act, which requires authorities to suspend or revoke export permits if there is a risk that weapons could contribute to human rights abuses, repression, terrorism, or threats to international peace.
The lawsuit names the NCACC, the Minister of Defence, and President Cyril Ramaphosa among the respondents, arguing that the government has a legal obligation to ensure South African-made arms are not used in ways that violate international law.
SALC cited several recent U.S. military actions, including developments related to Gaza, Iran, and Venezuela, as evidence of what it describes as a pattern of conduct that raises concerns under international law. The organisation argues that these actions trigger South Africa’s legal duty to suspend arms export permits to the United States.
The legal challenge is believed to be the first in South Africa seeking to block arms exports to a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council on the grounds that it poses a threat to international peace and security. SALC said South Africa authorised arms exports worth more than R279 million to the United States during 2025.
No hearing date has yet been announced, and the South African government had not publicly responded to the lawsuit at the time of filing. The outcome of the case could have significant implications for South Africa’s arms trade policies and its diplomatic relations with the United States.
