On 14 January 1947 HMS Actaeon arrived in Simonstown, South Africa to take up station, and was regularly docked at Simonstown. It was this year that the sloop was officially reclassified as a frigate. In 1948 Actaeon paid the first of her annual visits to the little port of Knysna.

From 17 April until 7 May 1952 Actaeon had her last recorded date of docking in the Selborne dry dock.

On 14 January 1953 Actaeon had her tour of duty at the Cape Station completed, returned to the UK to be de-commissioned.

On 9 December 1958 Actaeon was transferred from UK to the German Bundesmarine at Vickers Armstrongs Ltd., Newcastle -on- Tyne, and renamed Hipper. On 10 January 1959, Hipper was commissioned as a cadet training ship. Hipper was broken up in 1967.

The original RN ship`s badge can be seen displayed on the dry dock wall in Simonstown.