The Eastern Cape’s vote helped sway an ANC decision at the weekend to ask the government to pull South Africa out of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The move comes after government came under heavy criticism for allowing Sudan president Omar al-Bashir to jet out of the country earlier this year.
This was despite the ICC compelling South Africa to arrest him for war crimes.
In an interview after the party’s national general council in Midrand, Gauteng yesterday, provincial spokesman Mlibo Qoboshiyane said the province believed African problems needed African solutions.
“Basically what the province was saying is that we need to put the interests of the country first in whatever we do internationally. If the interests of South Africa is to ensure that there’s peace in the continent and the priority is to deliver peace and justice, let’s ensure that the leaders who are cardinal to achieving that, must be part of the solution.
“And if you destabilise that mechanism, if you say, for example, that a sitting president must be arrested but you don’t know what is going to happen in that hugely divided country.
“Let alone between south and north but within Sudan is a crisis area and we are saying that it can’t be the priority of the international court to de-establish the peace mechanisms that are taking place,” he said.
Qoboshiyane confirmed all commissions had recommended that the country pull out of the ICC.
“We are saying rather review your signatory in the Roman Statute because now the interests of the country are not served well.
“We are also saying we cannot allow African leaders to be exploitative and not to understand that human rights are key. Rather the African Union, as it is there must also seek ways and means of establishing an African mechanism to subject leaders who break the law and commit genocide and all those things,” Qoboshiyane said.
There would be an assembly of African countries next month which would “further deliberate on the issue”.
EC vote sways ANC decision to pull out of ICC
The move comes after government came under heavy criticism for allowing Sudan president Omar al-Bashir to jet out of the country earlier this year.
This was despite the ICC compelling South Africa to arrest him for war crimes.
In an interview after the party’s national general council in Midrand, Gauteng yesterday, provincial spokesman Mlibo Qoboshiyane said the province believed African problems needed African solutions.
“Basically what the province was saying is that we need to put the interests of the country first in whatever we do internationally. If the interests of South Africa is to ensure that there’s peace in the continent and the priority is to deliver peace and justice, let’s ensure that the leaders who are cardinal to achieving that, must be part of the solution.
“And if you destabilise that mechanism, if you say, for example, that a sitting president must be arrested but you don’t know what is going to happen in that hugely divided country.
“Let alone between south and north but within Sudan is a crisis area and we are saying that it can’t be the priority of the international court to de-establish the peace mechanisms that are taking place,” he said.
Qoboshiyane confirmed all commissions had recommended that the country pull out of the ICC.
“We are saying rather review your signatory in the Roman Statute because now the interests of the country are not served well.
“We are also saying we cannot allow African leaders to be exploitative and not to understand that human rights are key. Rather the African Union, as it is there must also seek ways and means of establishing an African mechanism to subject leaders who break the law and commit genocide and all those things,” Qoboshiyane said.
There would be an assembly of African countries next month which would “further deliberate on the issue”.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos