Former President Thabo Mbeki inspected SA Navy vessels in Simons Town as part of the Presidential Fleet Review on 5 September 2008, in what was most likely one of the last official duties while serving in the capacity as the President of South Africa.

 According to history, Henry VIII called the first Fleet review as he wanted to “see the fleet as whole”.  He treated all his captains to a banquet and had them row him around the anchored ships.  The tradition still stands to this day.  Only difference is there are no more rowing involved! Fleet Review or Naval Review can therefore be described as the gathering (as a whole) of a Nation's Navy for its Head of State to review.  In such an event, the Head of State is called “Commander in Chief”.

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The 2008 Review was a culmination of ten years of hard work by the personnel of the SA Navy to ensure that the vessels are operational and the crews which operate the vessels are competent and professionally trained.  The previous Fleet review took place in South Africa in 1997 during the Navy 75 celebrations, with Nelson Mandela as Commander in Chief. President Mbeki was flown into Simons Town onboard a 22 Sqn Oryx to be welcomed by the Minister of Defence, Chief of the SANDF and the Chief of the SA Navy and a 21 gun salute before boarding SAS Protea to inspect the fleet.

  Sailing from Simons Town towards the Kalkbaai harbour area with the fleet sailing in the opposite direction, the President took the salute from each vessel plus the traditional three “cheers to the President” from the ship’s crew who lined each ship dressed in formal whites.