South Africa remains ICC participant – presidency

President Cyril Ramaphosa misspoke when he said the country would withdraw from the court, his spokesman clarified

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa made a mistake when he said the country would leave the International Criminal Court (ICC), his office said on Tuesday.

“This clarification follows an error in a comment made during a media briefing held by the governing African National Congress (ANC) on South Africa’s status with regard to the ICC,” Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement on its website.

“Regrettably, the President erroneously affirmed a similar position during a media session today.”

The presidency affirmed that South Africa remains a party to the Rome Statute, the ICC’s key document, and will “continue to campaign for equal and consistent application of international law.”

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