In spite of a subsisting arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Russian President Vladimir Putin, South African opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said Putin is welcome to visit Pretoria.
The ICC, which South Africa is a signatory to, has accused Putin of war crimes, which include the kidnapping of Ukrainian children in Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Despite these accusations, Putin is scheduled to attend the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in August.
Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has stated that Putin will not be arrested while in South Africa, a country where Russia “played a huge role to support the struggle for freedom”. Malema has accused the ICC of hypocrisy and urged the South African government not to give in to pressure from the international court.
Malema has also emphasised the close diplomatic ties between South Africa and Moscow, despite Western condemnation. In fact, last month, the South African navy held joint exercises with Russian forces off the coast of South Africa. Additionally, South Africa abstained from UN votes condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In 2015, the South African government was criticised for allowing Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir to leave the country, despite an ICC arrest warrant.