Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has revealed in an affidavit in the High Court in Gauteng that arresting Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to South Africa for the Brics summit in August would be seen as a declaration of war against Russia.
Ramaphosa initially wanted to keep his affidavit on the matter confidential, but the court ruled that it should be made public.
Ramaphosa stated that it would be unconstitutional and unlawful to risk engaging in war with Russia and that his priority is to protect national sovereignty and ensure peace and security.
President Ramaphosa fears that Russia could declare war on South Africa.
This is revealed in the President’s answering affidavit to the DA’s court bid to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin is arrested during the BRICS summit.
Ramaphosa states that Pretoria has been in… pic.twitter.com/aF3PLgYUqu
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“It would be a reckless, unconstitutional and unlawful exercise of the powers conferred upon the government to declare war with Russia by arresting President Putin,” Ramaphosa said in his affidavit.
He added: “It would be inconsistent with our Constitution to risk engaging in war with Russia. I have constitutional obligations to protect the national sovereignty, peace and security of the republic, and to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights of the people of the republic to life, safety and security, among other rights in the Bill of Rights.”
The court’s decision came after the Democratic Alliance (DA) demanded that the government take steps to arrest and surrender Putin to the International Criminal Court (ICC) due to an arrest warrant issued against him for alleged war crimes related to the invasion of Ukraine.
The matter will be argued in open court on Friday.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
