Rome Statute repeal bill withdrawn from Parliament
14 March 2017
Cape Town – Justice Minister Michael Masutha has withdrawn the draft repeal legislation which would have seen South Africa withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The withdrawal of the Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Bill was announced in Parliament’s papers on Tuesday.
This follows a High Court ruling that government's decision to withdraw from the ICC was unconstitutional and invalid.
"The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services withdrew the following Bill in accordance with Rule 334 of the Rules of the National Assembly: (a) Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Act Repeal Bill."
The Democratic Alliance welcomed the withdrawal of the bill on Tuesday.
The DA’s James Selfe said they were glad that sanity had prevailed in this matter.
"It may well be that the International Criminal Court requires reform and South Africa should actively engage in discussions around such reform.
"However this does not mean that South Africa should join the polecats of [the] world in abandoning our commitment to human rights by leaving the ICC entirely," the party said.
The Pretoria High Court made the ruling in February and ordered President Jacob Zuma and the justice minister to revoke the notice of withdrawal.
