SA faces another Putin dilemma over ICC warrant

South Africa could once more be facing the Vladimir Putin dilemma it would have to decide whether it should allow the Russian president to attend the upcoming G20 Summit to be held in the country next year.

- Eric Naki

This would be the second time Pretoria had to make the difficult decision on whether to let Putin come to its shores.

During the Brics summit that was held in the country last year, Putin had to cancel his attendance due to pressure put on SA internally and externally to arrest him in terms of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant.

South Africa, as a signatory to the Rome Statute, is obliged to arrest a head of state indicted by the ICC.

South Africa would assume the chair of the G20 next year taking over from the current chair, Brazil, which would host this year's summit in November.

International relations expert Dr Sithembile Mbete said South Africa had a limited choice on the Putin matter.

The government was advised by state law advisors that it was obliged to enforce Putin's arrest in terms of its domestic law.