South Africa plans to leave the international criminal court (ICC), a deputy minister has said, as the government faces criticism for ignoring a court order to arrest Sudan’s president when he visited the country earlier this year.



Obed Bapela said the ICC had “lost its direction” and the ruling African National Congress (ANC) wanted to withdraw the country from it.

The Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, who has been accused of genocide and war crimes, visited South Africa in June and was allowed to leave despite a court order to detain him.

Last week the government asked the ICC for more time to explain why it allowed this. But this weekend the ruling party resolved to leave the court.

Bapela said powerful nations “trample” human rights and pursue “selfish interests”. He added: “South Africa still holds the flag of human rights, we are not lowering it.”

Parliament will now debate ICC membership. The ANC commands a comfortable majority in the legislature, with more than 60% of the vote.