South African President Cyril Ramaphosa explained that his statement that the country plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court amid a potential visit by Vladimir Putin is not true. He clarified that he misspoke and that South Africa remains a country committed to international agreements.
"The President would like to clarify that South Africa remains a signatory to the Rome Statute and will continue to campaign for the equal and consistent application of international law," the President said in a statement.
South Africa's membership in the International Criminal Court obliges the authorities to arrest Putin if he comes to the country to attend the BRICS summit scheduled for August.
Former South African President Jacob Zuma proposed withdrawing from the ICC in 2016, but this plan was later abandoned. The country's government is currently holding legal consultations on how to deal with Putin's arrest warrant.