Mbalula: Russia must attend BRICS summit, with or without Putin
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says Russia should still participate in the BRICS summit, whether or not President Vladimir Putin is able to attend the meeting in South Africa.
"Their president, if ever it so happens he cannot come because of South Africa being signatory, then it is what it is, but they can still participate in BRICS that is what is important.
"The only point is that for the first time, we have the summit taking place probably with one member not being present."
He made the statement amid discussions about whether Putin will attend the summit or not.
This was after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of war crimes.
READ: BRICS ministers open to enlargement as Putin looms large
As a signatory of the Rome Statute, South Africa would be obliged to carry out the order.
Mbalula says the government must be guided by the law.
"We are the signatories of the Rome Statute that binds us in terms of this issue. We as the ANC we will want to amend certain sections of the Statute to address the waiver for President Putin to come to our country and so that should be accepted like it has happened in the United Kingdom."
