News24.com | Rush in or put in more work? Government to mull SA's legal options over ICC's Putin arrest warrant

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets President Cyril Ramaphosa during the welcoming ceremony at the Russia-Africa Summit in 2019.

• Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says it's not true that SA has only one option to deal with the ICC's arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed an inter-ministerial committee, chaired by his deputy, Paul Mashatile, to consider South Africa's legal options regarding Putin.
• As president of Russia, Putin has been invited to attend the BRICS summit in Cape Town in August.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says arresting Russian President Vladimir Putin is not the only option for the South African government if he decides to attend the BRICS summit in Cape Town in August.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile will chair an inter-ministerial committee to decide on the legal options available to the South African government regarding Putin's possible visit to the country after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest for Putin.

Ntshavheni defended the government's stance on the ICC following much confusion after President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC backtracked on whether the country would abandon its membership.

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Initially, Ramaphosa and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula indicated that the country was working on leaving the ICC. The two later backtracked, saying the government remained committed to its membership of the international legal body.

At a post-Cabinet meeting briefing on Friday, Ntshavheni said South Africa remained a signatory of the Rome Statute and a participant of the ICC.

Regarding Putin's possible visit to the country later this year to attend the BRICS summit, Ntshavheni said Mashatile would be tasked with mulling the legal options available to the government.

The ICC issued a warrant for Putin's arrest in March because of war crimes linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

READ | Presidency, ANC retract comments that SA will exit International Criminal Court

Ramaphosa has invited the Russian leader to attend the BRICS summit, which will take place in Cape Town in August.

Ntshavheni said arresting Putin was not the only option, as many had claimed. Russia was not a signatory of the Rome Statute, just as the US was not a member of the ICC, she added.

She said the inter-ministerial committee led by Mashatile would advise the Cabinet on Putin's visit and the ICC arrest warrant.

She said: 

"The IMC is there to consider the legal opinions and options in place. The IMC will go to Cabinet and make recommendations," Ntshavheni added.

South Africa has been criticised for its neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

In March, the government sent two envoys – ANC national executive committee (NEC) members Obed Bapela and International Relations Deputy Minister Alvin Botes – to meet with Russian officials. Another team of envoys was expected to visit the US.

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Ntshaveni said these visits were not a sign that the government was "afraid", but they were necessary because South Africa wanted a peaceful resolution to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

"The envoys sent to the US, our position as South Africa, is that we should engage all parties involved in the conflict. The US is leading the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which is part of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. We have resolved to engage in a peaceful ending of the conflict. We cannot nudge Russia alone but also the protagonists, which the US is part of through NATO," Ntshavheni said.