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JOHANNESBURG - EFF leader Julius Malema on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the ANC and President Cyril Ramaphosa for confusing the nation regarding South Africa’s position on the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“The ANC is confused. I have never seen such a confused organisation that is controlled by white capital. The SG (Secretary General Fikile Mbalula) speaks from Luthuli House, says we are not moving out of the ICC; the president speaks from the Union Buildings, saying we are moving out of the ICC - on the same day.

“Later in the evening they come back to say there was a mistake that was committed (and) we are not leaving the ICC. How can the president and the SG commit the same mistake?” asked Malema during a clean-up campaign in Soweto.

He was referring to the government and the ANC’s communication after a national executive committee (NEC) meeting on the matter.

The government is considering various options after the ICC issued a warrant of arrest for Vladimir Putin last month. The Russian president is due to attend the Brics summit in Durban in August. South Africa is a signatory to the court, meaning it is obliged to do as the court orders.

This is not the first time South African has been in this position. In 2015 it failed to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir after an ICC ruling.

In what appeared to be a case of miscommunication on the part of the government and the ANC, Ramaphosa and Mbalula last Tuesday contradicted one another on South Africa’s position on withdrawing its membership of the court.