Johannesburg - Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says South Africa will host the 35th BRICS Summit, set for August this year.
This comes amid reports that the summit will be moved to China following fears that the ICC warrant of arrest for South Africa to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin on war crimes will put South Africa in a difficult position.
Ntshavheni, who briefed the media on Thursday, added that government would defend its decision to classify the panel report into the Lady R docking.
The report pertains to whether any arms were sold to Russia during its invasion of Ukraine.
Ntshavheni added that South Africa could not risk war with Russia by arresting President Vladimir Putin when he attends the BRICS summit later this year.
‘’The Deputy Chairperson of the Security Council of Russia has indicated that anyone who arrests President Putin will be tantamount to a declaration of war. I don’t think this country wants us to declare war with Russia,’’ she said.
In March this year, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant of arrest against Putin for alleged war crimes regarding the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.
As a signatory of the ICC, South Africa has the obligation to arrest him should he arrive in the country.
She said a report on the docking of Lady R is expected to be filed in the next two weeks.
“The president welcomes the appointment of a three member panel on the circumstances on the docking of Lady R. The panel, chaired by former deputy judge president of the South Gauteng High Court, Justice Phineas Mojapelo, has six weeks to evaluate whether constitutional, legal or other obligations were fulfilled or violated when the vessel docked in Simon’s Town Naval Base in Cape Town.
“They will report their findings to the President in two weeks,” she said.
The Star