Opinion / Columnist
Not yet uhuru in Mzansi, for sure
22 Jul 2023 at 08:23hrs | Views
So, as shown by yesterday's consent order from the High Court in Pretoria, pushed by the racist opposition DA, the South African government on 29 June 2023 had a letter signed by its Director General, Justice and Constitutional Development and on 17 July 2023 the letter was forwarded to the country's National Director for Public Prosecutions (NDPP), applying for an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin in line with ICC's politically charged arrest warrant for the Russian leader.
The court order says this was after the ICC, "concluded the article 97 consultations that the Republic of South Africa and all other states are obligated to arrest President Putin in terms of the ICC's arrest warrant and requests for cooperation".
In effect, this means South Africa has an arrest warrant for Putin.
If - by mutual agreement - President Putin is not coming to South Africa next month for the BRICS summit and will now attend virtually, why did the South African government apply to the NDPP for his arrest warrant, only four days ago on 17 July 2023?
What was or is the purpose of Putin's arrest warrant in South, given the said mutual agreement between South Africa and Russia that Putin is not attending the BRICS summit next month in person? Was or is it to appease the opposition DA - which had taken the South African government to court - and its Western handlers?
What a bizarre situation.
South Africa's claim that article 97 consultations obligate it and "all other states" to arrest Putin is hogwash.
Surely, there ought to be a better way of handling high level geopolitical tests for South Africa than this naked embarrassment and humiliation, for a country which aspires to be an influential African and global voice and player.
While the opposition DA and its ilk are celebrating and laughing all the way to Washington, this saga serves to confirm that when all is said and done South Africa is just a sad banana republic with neither the will nor the spine to assert, defend and enforce its sovereignty and national interests in a manner that is commensurate with its geopolitical pretences.
It's not yet Uhuru in Mzansi, for sure!
The court order says this was after the ICC, "concluded the article 97 consultations that the Republic of South Africa and all other states are obligated to arrest President Putin in terms of the ICC's arrest warrant and requests for cooperation".
In effect, this means South Africa has an arrest warrant for Putin.
If - by mutual agreement - President Putin is not coming to South Africa next month for the BRICS summit and will now attend virtually, why did the South African government apply to the NDPP for his arrest warrant, only four days ago on 17 July 2023?
What was or is the purpose of Putin's arrest warrant in South, given the said mutual agreement between South Africa and Russia that Putin is not attending the BRICS summit next month in person? Was or is it to appease the opposition DA - which had taken the South African government to court - and its Western handlers?
What a bizarre situation.
Surely, there ought to be a better way of handling high level geopolitical tests for South Africa than this naked embarrassment and humiliation, for a country which aspires to be an influential African and global voice and player.
While the opposition DA and its ilk are celebrating and laughing all the way to Washington, this saga serves to confirm that when all is said and done South Africa is just a sad banana republic with neither the will nor the spine to assert, defend and enforce its sovereignty and national interests in a manner that is commensurate with its geopolitical pretences.
It's not yet Uhuru in Mzansi, for sure!
Source - Twitter
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