Despite threats by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and President Jacob Zuma that the country will turn its back on the ICC in the wake of Omar al-Bashir debacle last year, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane now says the South African government will consult widely, including with the ICC, before making a decision.
The South African government has been severely rebuked by its own High Court and faces a further reprimand from the ICC, for disregarding a request from the ICC to arrest Sudanese President al-Bashir, a fugitive from the ICC, when he was in South Africa last June for an AU summit.
Africa News Agency reports the minister responded to questions about President Zuma who told the African Union summit in Addis Ababa at the weekend that South Africa could not continue its membership of the ICC in present circumstances. An announcement was expected soon.
In what seems to be an about turn, the minister said “it will depend on the way we are treated, not only as a country, but also as a continent… There was no voice of dissent among the 54 states of the African Union (at the summit) that Africans feel very disappointed with the way business is conducted in the ICC.
“Thirty four of the 54 are members of the Rome Statute (of the ICC) and we thought this was to show that Africans do not believe in impunity. But what we are observing, is more and more of this is like what the late Prime Minister Meles (Zenawi Asres of Ethiopia) said is an African Criminal Court.
“We are still consulting with the ICC… We will ensure that we consult with all the important agencies and make a conclusion at the end. So when I was at The Hague to attend the Assembly of State Parties (I said) that it would be a sad day if were made to choose between the African Union and the ICC,” said the minister.
