Pretoria - The Constitutional Court has dismissed the application for direct access in a bid to challenge the Cabinet’s decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Constitutional Court considered the application by the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution founded on exclusive jurisdiction and in the alternative for direct access, and the application for direct access by the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The court has concluded that the application founded on exclusive jurisdiction should be dismissed as the matter does not invoke the jurisdiction of this court.
Further the application for direct access has been dismissed on the ground that it is not in the best interest of justice for the court to hear the matter at this stage.
Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha has welcomed the judgement.
The dismissal of the application for direct access happens as the Minister is travelling to the Hague, in Netherlands, where he will be making an opening statement during the general debate of 15th meeting of the Assembly of States Parties of the ICC. - SAnews.gov.za
