Parliament says it intends to ask International Relations Minister Naledi Pando and her department to brief it on how government plans to handle Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forthcoming trip to South Africa.
Putin has been invited to attend the BRICS summit in August this year.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant of arrest for Putin who is accused of being responsible for deporting hundreds of Ukrainian children to Russia.
This is a challenge for South Africa, which is a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC.
Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Supra Mahumapelo, says: “I have spoken to the Minister. We are going to be writing to the Minister that as soon as next week we sit and discuss this matter just to understand from their point of view as the executive how are they going to approach this matter because we are doing oversight on them.”
ICC criticised
The ICC has since been criticised for its decision to issue a warrant of arrest against Putin.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 35th commemoration of the Cuito Cuanavale battle, South African Communist Party (SACP) General Secretary Solly Mapaila says SA must not arrest Putin if he comes to the country to attend the BRICS summit later this year.
SABC News Reporter Khayelihle Khumalo elaborates in the report below:
