Justice Minister Michael Masutha said on Friday Oct 21,2016 that the government will soon submit a bill in parliament to withdraw from the court in The Hague, a move that comes as several African countries express concerns over what they call the ICC's disproportionate targeting of the continent.
The bill will propose that South Africa repeal the Rome Statute that created the court because the statute is "in conflict and inconsistent with" the country's diplomatic immunity law, said Justice Minister Michael Masutha
In 2015 South Africa said it planned to leave the ICC after it faced criticism for not arresting Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, who is accused of genocides and war crimes, when he visited the country. Bashir has denied the accusations.
Note
Another African country, Burundi, appeared set to become the first county to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the 1998 treaty establishing the global court, after its Parliament Voted last week to leave.
The move comes shortly after the United Nations launched a probe into the country's alleged systematic human rights abuses in an ongoing crackdown on a protest movement that began 18 months ago.
Ninety-four out of 110 legislators voted in favour of the draft law on Wednesday Oct 12,2016, two were against it and 14 abstained. The legislation now has to be approved by the senate - also dominated by the ruling party - before being passed into law by President Pierre Nkurunziza
No country has ever withdrawn from the ICC.
Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza signed a decree on Tuesday Oct 19,2016, but the United Nations has not yet been officially notified.
The ICC, which opened in July 2002 and has 124 member states, is the first legal body with permanent international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes
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