Deputy president Paul Mashatile this week spelt out South Africa's dilemma over inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend next month's Brics summit, as Putin himself weighs his options with an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant over his head and a recent Wagner mutiny denting his power.
Mashatile confirmed to the Sunday Times that the government has proposed that Putin attend the gathering virtually, but this was rejected by the Russians.
Mashatile says the Russians have insisted that they would like Putin to attend the summit in Johannesburg in person.
The invitation to Putin has strained South Africa's relations with its Western trading partners and put at risk its status within the US's African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa). A team of ministers was in Washington this week to smooth over relations with President Joe Biden's administration and powerful congressional voices calling for South Africa to be punished over its perceived pro-Russia stance on the war in Ukraine.
Pressure is growing on the government, with ICC prosecutor Karim Khan telling CNN this week: “South Africa has felt a crime against humanity for decades, the crime of apartheid. I don't think they need lessons from me.
“They are voluntarily a state party to the ICC, they know what the law is, and I think they would do the right thing. And we will assess what actually happens at the Brics summit and respond accordingly.”
Mashatile also indicated that President Cyril Ramaphosa was still engaged in negotiations with Putin and other Brics leaders to find a solution to the diplomatic hot potato.
The government is trying to find ways of avoiding implementing the arrest warrant against the Russian president for war crimes in the invasion of Ukraine.
Mashatile heads an inter-ministerial committee that recently handed a report to Ramaphosa recommending that the invitation sent to Putin be withdrawn and that he attend virtually.
Failing this, the committee recommended the government should ask another country to host this year’s summit.
“We had initially thought if it can’t be resolved maybe somebody must host other than us but it will not work,” said Mashatile.
“That’s what we proposed from my committee [that Putin does not attend]. The president met with him. The Russians feel they don’t want him to participate virtually, they want him to come.”
Mashatile said Pretoria would be compelled to arrest the Kremlin leader should he land on its shores, something they would want to avoid.
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