Government says the Inter-Ministerial Committee which President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed will consider South Africa’s options regarding the warrant of arrest that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The ICC issued a warrant of arrest against Putin for human rights violations in Ukraine.
According to its laws, South Africa is mandated to give effect to the arrest warrant.
Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says Cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss the issue of Putin who is due to attend the BRICS summit in South Africa in August.
The meeting took place after Ramaphosa and ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said South Africa would withdraw from the ICC.
Both the Presidency and the ANC have retracted, saying the statements were made in error.
Addressed the media in Pretoria yesterday, Ntshavheni said: “The Federation of the Russian Republic is not a signatory to the ICC and there are rules that the ICC must then comply to it in issuing warrants of arrest for people who are not signatories of the Rome Statute. And so, when you say there are no options, it’s not accurate.”
“The committee is in place to consider the options, including the legal opinions that we have weighed. The committee will go to Cabinet and make recommendations after which Cabinet will take decisions and we’ll announce and communicate the decisions of Cabinet,” added Ntshavheni.
VIDEO | Ramaphosa appoints inter-ministerial committee to look into ICC warrant against Putin:
