Capen Town – Build One South Africa (Bosa) has reportedly given an ultimatum to the Presidency to disclose the president’s affidavit regarding the Vladimir Putin arrest warrant case or face further legal action.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently submitted a confidential answering affidavit in response to a case brought by the DA asking the court to declare that SA has a duty to arrest Putin if he comes to SA to attend the Brics summit in August.
The DA had requested the Gauteng High Court to issue an order for the arrest and surrender of Putin to the International Criminal Court (ICC) if he attends the Brics summit.
The party sought clarity on the procedure the government should follow in executing such a warrant.
However, according to EWN, it seems unlikely that Putin will attend the upcoming Brics summit in South Africa.
The report said that Bosa’s lawyers argued that the Presidency was relying too heavily on clauses from the Rome Statute, which prohibited the public disclosure of matters related to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
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While affidavits submitted to the courts were typically public documents, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s response to the DA’s case was being kept confidential.
Bosa contended that the arrest warrant for Putin was already public knowledge, and therefore, confidentiality should not apply.
“In a letter to the Presidency, Build One South Africa’s lawyers say this is wrong and that the Rome Statute is being incorrectly interpreted.
“It says the arrest warrant for Putin is public knowledge and therefore confidentiality doesn’t apply.
“The confidentiality clause it says, does not concern whether a government intends to comply with their obligations to surrender him or not.
“Bosa says the public is entitled to know whether and how government intends to comply with these obligations,” the report said.
Bosa has demanded that the Presidency provide reasons for the confidentiality or share Ramaphosa’s full affidavit by Friday, said the report.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
