Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said there were no plans to introduce a bill in Parliament for the withdrawal of South Africa from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“There is currently no intention to introduce a bill with the aim of withdrawing the Republic’s participation in and membership of the ICC.
“South Africa remains a full member of the ICC with all the rights and obligations that accrue to all members of the Rome Statute,” Lamola said.
He was responding to EFF MP Vuyani Pambo, who noted the experience South Africa had with former president of Sudan Omar al-Bashir, who paid a visit to the Republic while there was a warrant of arrest issued against him.
Pambo asked whether in light of the now cancelled visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, he intended to introduce a bill with the aim of withdrawing South Africa’s participation in and membership of the ICC.
Lamola said the fifth administration of South Africa took a decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in October 2016.
“Following this decision, South Africa sent a written notice to withdraw from the Rome Statute to the secretary-general of the United Nations.”
However, Lamola said the North Gauteng High Court unanimously ruled in February 2017 that the withdrawal notification sent by South Africa to the UN was unconstitutional and invalid without prior parliamentary approval.
The government was ordered to rescind the notice with immediate effect and the government revoked its notice of withdrawal from the Rome Statute in March 2017.
“The International Crimes Bill, introduced in Parliament in 2017, whose purpose was to withdraw South Africa from the ICC by repealing the Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Act 27 of 2002, has been withdrawn from Parliament,” he said.
His response came as the Presidency on Wednesday said Putin would not attend the Brics summit and will be represented by Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.
Pressure had been mounting on South Africa to arrest Putin if he visited the country for the Brics summit after the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest.
Lamola said in June the government was considering a legislative amendment that would domesticate the Rome Statute of the Rome Statute of ICC after numerous developments within the international body.
Cape Times