South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says his ruling ANC party has resolved that the country should quit the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"Yes, the governing party... has taken that decision that it is prudent that South Africa should pull out of the ICC," Ramaphosa said during a press conference co-hosted with the visiting President of Finland Sauli Niinisto on Tuesday.
Ramaphosa said the decision, which follows a weekend meeting of the African National Congress (ANC), was reached "largely" because of what is perceived as the court's unfair treatment of certain countries.
"We would like this matter of unfair treatment to be properly discussed, but in the meantime the governing party has decided once again that there should be a pull out," he said.
The announcement by South Africa comes as pressure begins to mount on the country to act on an ICC arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
South Africa is due to host a summit of of an economic bloc known as BRICS - consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - in July this year with Putin expected to attend.
The arrest warrant against Putin followed accusations that the Kremlin unlawfully deported Ukrainian children.
Member countries are required by the ICC rules to arrest an individual wanted by the court once such person steps into their territory.
On whether South Africa would arrest Putin, Ramaphosa said "that matter is under consideration".
A continental powerhouse, South Africa has refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine which has largely isolated Moscow on the international stage, saying it wants to stay neutral and prefers dialogue to end the war.
It is not the first time South Africa has attempted to withdraw from the ICC.
It made an attempt in 2016 following a dispute a year earlier when the then Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir visited the country for an African Union summit.
It refused to arrest him despite the then-leader facing an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes.
The controversial decision to pull out was however revoked when a domestic court ruled such a move would have been unconstitutional.
