The propellers at the rear of the SAS Assegaai. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp) 
There is something about submarines that captures the imagination – the idea of a sleek black hull moving soundlessly beneath the ocean, carrying men and women who may go days without seeing sunlight. A visit to the SAS Assegaai submarine museum in Simon’s Town offers a rare glimpse into the lives of submariners, including the unique conditions under which they perform their onboard duties.
The submarine, which forms part of the South African Naval Museum, opened its hatches to the public on a trial basis on 16 December 2024, and thousands of visitors have since joined the guided tours through its narrow passages.
Retired Rear Admiral Arne ‘Angel’ Söderlund from the Naval Heritage Trust leads a tour around the SAS Assegaai. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)
The torpedo tubes at the front end of the SAS Assegaai. Makeshift bunks would be placed across the pneumatic rams of the torpedoes, providing additional sleeping space for submariners. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)
Retired Rear Admiral Arne “Angel” Söderlund, trustee of the Naval Heritage Trust and a driving force behind the museum’s restoration, said: “One of the motivations we’ve got is we want the youth – and I’m talking about the pre-teens – to see the importance of maths and science. There’s no item in the world that has more technologies than a submarine.”
Though not a submariner himself, Söderlund has a personal connection with the SAS Assegaai. He was aboard the vessel for both its delivery voyage and its final journey before it was decommissioned. Now, he is one of the guides who teaches visitors about this slice of naval history.
“The main requirement is a love of the boat,” he told Daily Maverick. “I’m a historian. I go to all the museums, and I love museums, and I’ve always wanted to preserve history. This [museum], because of [the SAS Assegaai], she was my favourite.”
The SAS Assegaai was originally launched on 21 July 1970 under the name SAS Johanna van der Merwe. In 1975, the submarine was deployed in Angolan waters during Operation Yskas, and during the South African Border War she took part in about 10 clandestine operations. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)
A young visitor at the SAS Assegaai museum looks through the periscope. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)
Resurfacing SAS Assegaai
The SAS Assegaai, formerly the SAS Johanna van der Merwe, is a Daphne class submarine built at the Dubigeon-Normandie shipyard in Nantes, France, in 1967. It arrived in Simon’s Town in June 1972 after five years of construction, trials and training, according to the SA Naval Museum.
In 1975, the submarine was deployed in Angolan waters under Operation Yskas, and during the South African Border War it took part in about 10 clandestine operations. It underwent four refits during its career before being decommissioned in November 2003.
“In 2003, just before she came out of commission, they started cutting up part of it. And we said no. So, I got a whole lot of people together, including two ex-admirals, and we formed a committee to preserve her. I was in the Navy still – I only retired in 2006 – so I wrote the motivation. I went up and fought to get it, and they approved it,” Söderlund recalled.
A street sign from Nantes, France, where the SAS Assegaai was originally laid down in Dubigeon-Normandy shipyard. According to retired Rear Admiral Arne Söderlund, the sign was stolen and smuggled on board as a souvenir in 1971. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)
Visitors at the SAS Assegaai museum in Simon’s Town navigate the submarine’s narrow passageway. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)
The SAS Assegaai first opened as a museum between 2010 and 2015, docked alongside the outer wall of the Simon’s Town harbour. However, it was later removed from the water and closed to the public.
Söderlund continued: “For years, she just lay there rusting. Then, I heard that she was about to be cut up because she was in the way… so I went to the navy and said, ‘Can we look at this again?’”
Between the Naval Heritage Trust and volunteers, funds were raised to relocate the submarine to its new home at the navy’s Cole Point parking area in July 2024.
The bunks at the rear of the SAS Assegaai. There are 21 bunks aboard, which would need to be shared among a crew of at least 30 during missions. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)
“We raised just over R2-million in cash. The City [of Cape Town] gave us three-quarters of a million, which meant we could afford to move… because the move cost us nearly R1.8-million,” Söderlund said.
“We’ve been working on it continuously. It’s taken four-and-a-half months, which is not long. We stripped her, repainted her. We’ve cut holes in the side. We’ve done most of the external work. This whole area was a wreck… We’ve restored everything.”
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis contributed R750,000 from the Mayoral Fund for the relocation of the SAS Assegaai.
Hill-Lewis told Daily Maverick: “The City is glad to support the Assegai’s continued sustainability as a unique educational and tourist attraction for schools and visitors from far and wide. This is the only preserved submarine of its kind in Africa, containing all sorts of fascinating technology for young and old to immerse themselves in.”
The propellers at the rear of the SAS Assegaai. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)
When Daily Maverick visited the submarine in December, the guides were leading tours of 10 people every 20 minutes. Many of the visitors were young children.
“We’re honing our skills [and] every day we learn something,” Söderlund said, adding that an official opening for the museum would be held around the end of February. DM