Durban - International relations experts say the country needs to make a swift decision on the impending visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin or risk alienating trade partners on all sides.
The International Criminal Court (ICC), of which South Africa is a full member, issued a warrant of arrest against Putin for alleged war crimes related to the abduction of children from Ukraine.
Reports have emerged that the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) has received a legal opinion which says South Africa cannot legally ignore the warrant.
Putin and heads of state of all BRICS countries have accepted the in-person invite from President Cyril Ramaphosa to attend the summit in Durban in August.
Dr David Monyae, director for the Centre for Africa – China Studies at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), said while the legal opinion given to Dirco was important, the real weight on the country’s foreign policy emanated from the governing party and its president.
“What is needed is to stop the flip-flopping and make a final decision.
“The ANC and President Ramaphosa (as head of the party) have to make a political decision and a clear decision must be made.”
Monyae said whatever decision was made, South Africa would be placed in an awkward situation.
Dr Noluthando Phungula, of the Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation at UJ, said Ramaphosa last week referred to the “governing party” having decided to withdraw from the ICC.
“This utterance gave the impression that the ANC had made the decision at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that was held on that weekend. On the same day, the president’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, corrected the error,” Phungula said.
She added that while not surprising, the behaviour of the president suggested that the real decision-making lay elsewhere.
“It would seem that the president has not consulted with the powers that be and currently does not have a standpoint on the Putin warrant.”
Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela in response to questions over the legal opinion said that Cabinet had announced an inter-ministerial committee led by Deputy President Paul Mashatile to look at the legal opinion and to advise the Cabinet.
Ramaphosa last week appointed Mashatile to lead the committee to look at options ahead of Putin’s visit.
Last week, Ramaphosa and the ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, said South Africa would withdraw from the ICC, but they later said the country was part of the ICC.
Minister in the Presidency for State Security Khumbudzo Ntshavheni confirmed that special envoys had been sent to Washington to meet with US President Joe Biden’s administration officials over the Putin visit.
She said the reason they sent envoys to the US was to engage with Washington as they had done with Russia. Ramaphosa’s national security advisor, Sydney Mufamadi, is believed to have been part of the delegation.