THE African National Congress was forced to roll back on an announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that South Africa was poised to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC).

During a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Ramaphosa said that the ANC “has taken that decision that it is prudent that South Africa should pull out of the ICC.”

Last month, the court decided to issue an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin following accusations that Russia had unlawfully deported Ukrainian children.

Pretoria is due to host the Brics summit of Brazil, Russia, India and China in August.

But late on Tuesday, the ANC was forced to issue a press statement clarifying that a decision to quit the ICC had not been taken.

The statement said that the ANC “discussed the unequal and inconsistent way international law is applied and this includes the selective application of international criminal law by the ICC.

“An unintended impression may have been created that a categorical decision for an immediate withdrawal had been taken. This is not so.”

The statement from the ANC insisted that the discussion on withdrawal from the ICC was raised as “a measure of last resort.”