President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that South Africa will soon withdraw its membership from the International Criminal Court (ICC) due to “unfair treatment”.
The South African leader on Tuesday told journalists that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has decided that the country must withdraw its membership.
He was speaking in the presence of Finland President Sauli Väinämö Niinistö at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Tuesday. President Niinistö is on a state visit to Pretoria.
His South African counterpart, who doubles up as leader of the ruling ANC, said the decision was taken at ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting over the weekend.
“The governing party, the ANC, has taken the decision that it is prudent that South Africa should pull out of the ICC largely because of the manner in which the ICC has been seen to be dealing with these types of problems,” said President Ramaphosa.
“Our view is that we would like this matter of unfair treatment to be properly discussed, but in the meantime, the governing party has decided again there should be a pull-out, so that will be a matter that will be taken forward.”
President Ramaphosa’s pronouncement comes at a time all eyes are on South Africa ahead of the BRICS Summit in August.
The ICC issued a warrant of arrest against Russian President Vladimir Putin, and as a member state, South Africa is mandated to effect the arrest.
The court issued a warrant of arrest against President Putin over alleged war crimes, including the unlawful deportation of Children from Ukraine to Russia.
The South African leader had previously said his government was still consulting regarding the warrant.
Interestingly, earlier this month, ANC NEC member and Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises, Obed Bapela, made it clear that South Africa would not arrest a sitting head of state while in the country.
Meanwhile, Prof Anil Sooklal, ambassador at large for Asia and BRICS and South Africa’s BRICS sherpa, announced recently that President Putin would attend the summit, set to be staged from August 22 to 24.
