Withdrawing from the ICC will be a last resort: Radebe

Withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC) will be the "last resort"; this is according to the Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe.

“South Africa may as a last resort also consider withdrawing from the ICC. Such a decision will only be taken when South Africa has exhausted all remedies available to it in terms of the Rome Statute,” Radebe told reporters.

This comes after a ruling by the High Court that by allowing the Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir to leave the country the South African government was in direct contravention of a court ruling that he must be arrested.

Al-Bashir is wanted in connection with war crimes and genocide in the Darfur conflict that saw 300,000 people killed and more than 2 million displaced.

Speaking at a media conference on Thursday, Radebe said that they will first engage with the ICC to resolve issues before looking at the possibility to withdraw.

He said that a team of ministers will be tasked with engaging the ICC, Africa Union (AU) and other countries regarding the withdrawal.

"The ICC was aware that SA was in a difficult situation regarding #AlBashir because of its international obligations.

"The ICC must have been aware that SA, in execution of the warrant, would breach its agreement with the AU," Radebe explained South Africa's position.

"SA has to balance its obligations to the ICC with its obligations to the AU and African states."

Radebe said that they will produce an affidavit explaining "why Al-Bashir left the country last Monday".