ANC should be ashamed
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The sheer effrontery of Environ-mental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa’s article, “ANC decision to quit ICC is valid” (November 4) beggars belief. First, there is the credibility question. In my dictionary, “valid” means soundly reasoned — her article is not. Some huge states, such as China, are not signatories to the Rome Statute that engendered the International Criminal Court (ICC). This makes nonsense of the “sovereignty” claim. Sovereign decisions are not referenced to convenient anomalies. So, that’s not valid.
Slagging off the Democratic Alliance seems to be part of this rationally reasoned standpoint. The true reason for withdrawing is that Molewa, like her partners in crime, does not like to follow the law.
Then we have the old chestnut that the ICC is only prosecuting Africans. It’s an old ANC trick to throw in racist claims when sound reasoning is not available. It could be ignorance preventing her from noting the prosecution of several Balkan warlords.
The problem for Molewa and several voluble Africans is that Africa is fertile ground for despots. Her leader was cozying up to Robert Mugabe last week — the same president who sent troops to kill an estimated 20000 fellow Zimbabweans during the 1983 Matabeleland massacres. Still the ANC government courts the criminal.
Molewa and President Jacob Zuma are happy to hobnob with killers such as Sudan’s president, Omar alBashir, but they are not happy to be accountable.
My favourite effrontery begins: “Far from eroding South Africa’s standing in the international community …” The only reason this decision can’t erode South Africa’s image is that our president was there first.
If she’d read her Constitution she would know Section 321.
There is no provision to “get out of” international agreements. Section 321 (5) states: “The Republic is bound by international agreements when the Constitution came into effect.” The present Constitution dates from 1996. The ratification of the ICC took place before this.
If you can muster a 66% majority vote, ANC, could you please add to the Constitution the right to work and the right to defend one’s property and family from the increasing lawlessness in South Africa?
Otherwise, Molewa and Zuma can resign to ameliorate the bad situation in South Africa. — Tom Morgan