South African Naval Museum

01/09/2026

The preservation of yacht Voortrekker

Discover the history of 'Voortrekker', the iconic yacht that change...

15/08/2026

RUSSIAN MARITIME REMEMBRANCE IN SIMON'S TOWN
Leon Steyn, Historian & Curator at the South African Naval Museum

Members of the government of St Petersburg, Russia, paid homage to fallen Russian sailors during a brief visit to Simon’s Town on Friday 31 July 2026. The delegation was welcomed by the South African Navy’s Chief of Fleet Staff, Rear Admiral (Junior Grade) Judy Rustin-Patrick, and Officer-in-Charge SA Naval Museum, Commander Leon Steyn.
The Russian monument is situated at the Seaforth Old Burial Ground in Runciman Drive, Simon’s Town. It lists the names of 23 sailors and the epitaph in both Russian and English reads: “Sacred to the memory of Russian sailors, participants of maritime expeditions of the glorious Russian Fleet (1809-1865). Far away from the Motherland, at the foot of the African continent, they found their last resting place…”. Adjacent to this monument are the impressive tombstones of Fleet Navigator Nikolau Petrovil and Seaman Pyetra Reshyeka who both died in 1865.
The delegation of eight people was led by Maj Gen Evgeny Grigoriev, head of the St Petersburg Committee for Foreign Relations and retired military officer. Prior to visiting Cape Town, the delegation met with Russian diaspora living in Johannesburg and held talks with the Mayor of Johannesburg, Councillor Dada Morero.
Maj Gen Grigoriev (Ret) said it was a great honour and privilege to have met the SA Navy officers and expressed that he was grateful to the people of South Africa for the ‘memory of friendship’. “We are always open, we are always waiting for your visit, we are always with you.”
Rear Admiral (JG) Rustin-Patrick thanked the delegation for inviting the SA Navy to be part of the occasion. She said: “We, too, believe that a nation that does not recognise and acknowledge and remember their past has no future.” She said she will extend the thanks and appreciation from the Russian delegation to Flag Officer Fleet, Rear Admiral Handsome Matsane.

Photo captions:
- Major General Evgeny Grigoriev, Rear Admiral (JG) Judy Rustin-Patrick, Commander Leon Steyn
- Cdr Steyn presented the book 'Detained in Simon's Bay' to Maj Gen Grigoriev. It recounts the 1808–1809 detention of the Imperial Russian sloop Diana commanded by Vasily Golovnin in Simon's Town, and its eventual audacious escape.

With acknowledgment to Navy News. Photos: Mr Gert Witbooi.

Consulate General of Russia in Cape Town

07/08/2026

WOMEN'S DAY @ THE MUSEUM
https://youtu.be/IbE0RfFulUI?si=u3zcc6eSdUezY0oZ

Also, for those who want to read more about the history of women in the Navy, see https://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/1405

https://youtu.be/IbE0RfFulUI?si=u3zcc6eSdUezY0oZ

The South African Naval Museum in Simon's Town is open from 09:30 -...

31/07/2026

21/07/2026

⛵ She raced across oceans. Now she'll help preserve history.

The legendary yacht Voortrekker has arrived at the South African Naval Museum in Simon's Town, where she'll be restored and preserved for future generations.

Discover the remarkable story behind one of South Africa's most celebrated racing yachts.

📖 Read more: https://tinyurl.com/5e5wpc4h

17/07/2026

YACHT VOORTREKKER TO THE NAVAL MUSEUM

Almost two years to the day that an epic "mega-move" brought the Daphne-class submarine SAS ASSEGAAI to its new museum-home, an iconic racing yacht was added to the South African Naval Museum collection.

Earlier in the year Chief of the Navy, V Adm Monde Lobese approved the transfer of the yacht VOORTREKKER to the Naval Museum. The project to relocate the yacht from the Sailing Centre in West Yard to the Naval Museum annex near Cole Point was headed by R Adm Hanno Teuteberg (Ret) and Cdr John Martin (Ret) with the support of Flag Officer Fleet R Adm Handsome Matsane, and the able and expert assistance of Fleet Maintenance Unit, Armscor Dockyard, Sailing Centre, Naval Museum and False Bay Yacht Club personnel. Earlier in the year the Royal Cape Yacht Club and SA Ocean Racing Trust had provided much support to refurbish the all important cradle, needed for the move.

The relocation of the yacht on 17 July was only the first step in the project that will eventually transform the historic yacht to a world class museum exhibition, focussed on the history of sailing in the Navy.

Below is a selection of photos showing the move and relocation of the yacht VOORTREKKER today.

Photos: Cdr Leon Steyn

25/06/2026

The museum provides a real link between the past and the present - an emotional connection, room for reflection.
From the article published in Die Burger, i always hoped that survivors or family would react. On Saturday I met the family (three sisters) of the late Private Tommy Arendse (SA Coloured Corps). He was one of four survivors - eight others drowned in the accident off Kalk Bay in 1965. But Tommy left the Navy shortly after the ordeal, from all accounts, battling survivor's guilt and grief. The "aftermath" was perhaps the most difficult part of the ordeal. His dear sisters reflected on his life and how they remembered him. He was, the Cassius Clay of Crawford, strikingly handsome, athletic... a good swimmer, then he joined the Navy.

11/06/2026

VISITS TO THE MUSEUM:
Two more visits this week, included the SA Military Health Service (SAMHS) Heritage Project Team, on a benchmarking visit to the South African Naval Museum and Assegaai Submarine Museum. Their team was tasked by the SG to investigate the establishment of an own museum for the SAMHS in Thaba Tshwane.

The second visit was an Indian National Defence College (NDC) study tour of the Fleet. As part of the course curriculum members of the NDC undertake study tours both in India and abroad. Following a courtesy call to Flag Officer Fleet the group visited the Naval Museum for a guided tour, facilated by Cdr Leon Steyn and SLt Ipfi Ravele.

08/06/2026

INTRODUCTION TO HERITAGE & NAVAL HISTORY: The OiC South African Naval Museum, Cdr Leon Steyn visited SAS SALDANHA last month, to introduce the 'Military Training for Ratings Part 3' (MTR 3) learners to the basics of heritage and South African naval history. The MTR3 learning opportunity is needed for promotion to the rank of Warrant Officer and a basic understanding of our heritage and naval history is deemed beneficial. The same module, which was developed by Cdr Steyn, is also presented to the Military Training for Officers (MTO1) course at Naval College in Gordon's Bay.
To demonstrate the theory in more practical terms the MTR3 group then visited and toured the Naval Museum in Simon's Town on 29 May. The opportunity was used to reward the top student for this particular module - CPO T.J. Boshomane. He received a book prize ('Black Valour') from the Naval Museum. Photos: Sea S. Mngewengi