Johannesburg - Department of International and Co-operation Minister Naledi Pandor has reiterated her stance that the country should adopt a cautionary approach to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the country later this year.
While speaking with Xoli Mngambi on Newzroom Afrika on Monday, Pandor said arresting the Russian President in accordance with an arrest warrant by the ICC would not be a simple matter as there are many other factors that complicate the issue.
Putin is due to arrive in the country in August for the BRICS Summit set for Durban.
‘’With respect to the IMD, this is a very difficult international situation. I do think that we need to fully consider what the implications might be. It is very correct that there is a special team that Deputy President Paul Mashatile has put together looking in depth at this matter to ensure that we take a decision that represents the best interests both of South Africa and that of BRICS as well, which has been an increasingly important body for us as South Africa,’’ she said.
Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed his deputy to lead an inter-ministerial committee to look at various options for the country ahead of the visit by the Russian president for the BRICS summit.
Putin’s visit continues to draw conflicting messages across the country’s political landscape, with the Cabinet on Friday saying South Africa was still a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and was bound by its statutes.
On Monday, the leader of the newly formed political party Xiluva, Bongani Baloyi, told the SABC that arresting a sitting president of another country would be tantamount to a declaration of war.
South Africa, as a signatory of the Rome Statute, is expected by the ICC to affect its warrant of arrest against Putin when he visits the country for the BRICS Summit in August.
The ICC issued a warrant of arrest for the Russian president over alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Baloyi said South Africa should not allow a situation where the head of state of another country, during an official or business visit, gets arrested.
‘’If South Africa were to effect an arrest on the sitting president of another country, it would be tantamount to a declaration of war. I don’t think South Africa can afford to make such a declaration of war. If such a thing were to happen, it would mean that we would be directly declaring war on Russia.’’
‘’We must not allow for a case where a sitting head of another country is arrested in or during official business in the country that will be bad for the country because it will affect the country significantly, which is a declaration of war,’’ he said.
The Star