The Claim:
On October 31, a video featuring South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, filmed in April 2023 during a state visit by Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, circulated on X/Twitter. In the video, President Ramaphosa incorrectly stated that the African National Congress (ANC) had decided to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Facts:
The video captured a moment from a press conference held during President Niinisto’s visit. President Ramaphosa, inaccurately, announced the ANC’s decision to withdraw from the ICC. It stemmed from a 2016 dispute about whether to arrest former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, triggering initial ICC withdrawal proceedings by South Africa. However, these efforts were later suspended. Just before Niinisto’s visit, the ANC’s national executive committee released a statement, urging the withdrawal from the ICC to be rescinded. President Ramaphosa’s office promptly issued a correction, emphasizing South Africa’s continued commitment to the Rome Statute and the consistent application of international law.
The statement reconfirmed that “South Africa remains a signatory to the Rome Statute and will continue to campaign for equal and consistent application of international law” and that the “clarification follows an error in a comment made during a media briefing held by the governing African National Congress (ANC) on South Africa’s status with regard to the ICC. Regrettably, the President erroneously affirmed a similar position during a media session today.”
Even if South Africa were to withdraw from the ICC, it would still be bound by membership duties, including executing arrest warrants, for 12 months following formal notification of withdrawal.
The Objective:
The misinformation stemming from President Ramaphosa’s statement exemplifies a case of unintentional misinformation, where incorrect information was disseminated without malicious intent. However, politically motivated actors seized upon this error, falsely claiming South Africa’s withdrawal from the ICC. Notably, these actors, particularly those aligned with Russia, have aggressively targeted the ICC since the issuance of a warrant for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 17, 2023, related to Russia’s actions during the Ukraine conflict. This manipulated information bolsters the narratives of repressive authoritarian regimes, contributing to a distorted global discourse.
