South Africa’s current president, Cyril Ramaphosa, was asked at a press conference about President Vladimir Putin’s planned visit to South Africa, due to the BRICS meeting scheduled for November. Indeed, a journalist asked whether Mr. Putin would be arrested by the South African state, following the International Criminal Court’s appeal against him for war crimes. Cyril Ramaphosa’s answer was indirect but clear for those who understand. They responded by saying that they were still pondering the question, and it is ongoing and on a table for discussion. But recently, South Africa decided to leave the International Criminal Court, which means they won’t be obliged to arrest Putin, even if they didn’t want to.
Why does South Africa want to leave the ICC?
The decision to leave the ICC was justified by the South Africans, who claimed that the Court was biased and judged only a specific group of people for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Many countries have not signed the agreement establishing the International Criminal Court, calling its effectiveness into question.
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The initial idea was laudable, that of creating a platform for judging all those who commit atrocities, but the reality shows that many individuals have committed atrocious acts but have not been tried by the ICC, and not all countries are members and many have withdrawn over time. Things that reflect injustice and unequal treatment between countries. The International Criminal Court is often accused of prosecuting only African leaders, ignoring those from other regions of the world who have ratified its founding statute.
The result is that South Africa is under international pressure, given that it is Africa’s most powerful country. The strategy adopted is to subjugate the strongest in order to influence everyone psychologically and mentally, as was done during colonization.
Furthermore, in October 2015, the South African government announced its decision to leave the ICC after the controversy caused by its refusal to arrest Sudanese President Omar El-Bechir on its soil, on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. That year, South Africa was strongly criticized by human rights organizations for allowing the Sudanese president to visit the country to avoid arrest by the ICC.
South Africa: an example for African countries
The country is under international pressure to arrest Putin, but its decision to leave the International Criminal Court gives it the option of refusing this request. However, according to the Court’s regulations, South Africa must meet a one-year deadline before it can actually withdraw from the institution.
This decision by South Africa is important, because it shows that a country can decide its own fate and not submit to slavery. If Westerners can make the decision to leave an organization, so should Africans. However, it is important to note that the question of whether Putin will actually come to South Africa remains open. The chances of him doing so are pretty high, as he’ll certainly want to prove to the world a modicum of respect and that he can’t be subject to orders from other countries.
It’s also worth remembering that a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Algeria, Egypt, Brazil and Indonesia, as well as two East African countries that are not openly declaring their interest in joining the BRICS. This group was created to set up a new monetary system, eliminating the dollar.
However, South Africa’s decision to leave the International Criminal Court is an act of sovereignty showing that the country can make its own decisions. This also raises questions about the effectiveness and fairness of the International Criminal Court, which does not have many countries among its members. We want freedom, a multipolar world, a world where everyone respects each other as much as they respect themselves.
Totally inspired by Zack Mwekassa’s video
