Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will not attend next month’s BRICS summit in Gauteng. The Presidency confirmed this in a statement saying that the decision was made by mutual agreement.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend the summit alongside the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa. Due to South Africa being a signatory to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court it could not go against the ICC’s warrant of arrest for Putin over alleged war crimes in relation to Ukraine.

In May the DA launched a court application seeking a declaration that if Putin arrives in South Africa, the government must detain and surrender him to the ICC.

The matter is still in court. Researcher and political commentator, David van Wyk says it’s time for South Africa step out of the ICC as it can longer to pander to the desires of a minority which he says are DA supporters.