Ronald Lamola Says ICC Case Over Attacks on Foreign Nationals in SA Lacks Jurisdiction

• International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola addressed the ICC petition filed by two Ghanaian nationals over attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa
• Lamola argued that South Africa's domestic courts and existing legislation are fully equipped to handle the matter
• The minister's comments came during an appearance at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation event in Sandton, Gauteng

GAUTENG — International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola has pushed back against efforts to bring South Africa before the International Criminal Court over violence targeting foreign nationals, insisting the petition fails to meet the legal threshold required for ICC intervention.

Speaking at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation event in Sandton, Lamola responded directly to a case brought by two Ghanaian nationals who petitioned the ICC to open a preliminary investigation into attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa, arguing the violence could constitute crimes against humanity.

The minister said the ICC case "lacks the jurisdiction because it does not meet the requirements of the principle of complementarity," which holds that domestic courts must be the first avenue of recourse before international bodies can intervene. Lamola argued that South Africa's judiciary is both capable and independent, and that the state has not supported or sanctioned the conduct in question.

Read also

Xenophobia row: Ghana and Nigeria take South Africa to the African Union

"This has just been individuals who have taken the law into their own hands, but also in terms of South African law, this is illegal. And that's why the police are acting on it," he said.

Lamola pointed to several existing domestic mechanisms, including the Prevention of Racism Act, which criminalises hate speech, and the Equality Court, as evidence that South Africa already possesses sufficient legal infrastructure to address such cases.

ICC petition described as "premature"

The minister was unequivocal in his assessment of the petition's timing and merit and pointed out that attacks on foreign nationals are unacceptable.

"Our response is that it is premature; it is not ripe for these kinds of actions, because our domestic capabilities, our independent judiciary, can handle these matters in the domestic courts of South Africa," Lamola stated.

He also noted that South Africa holds a significant international role in this space, describing the country as "the pen holder of the resolution against racism" at the United Nations in Geneva, a responsibility Lamola said the country takes seriously on behalf of the broader international community.

Read also

Ugandan returnees from South Africa undergo ideological orientation under Museveni programme

Watch Minister Lamola's full response at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation event:

Ronald Lamola's "travel more" statement slammed

In a related article, Briefly News reported on Lamola's controversial suggestion that South Africans should travel more to other African countries in an effort to combat xenophobia. His remarks received significant backlash online, particularly given the context of rising anti-immigration sentiment and a national shutdown planned for later in June 2026.

Source: Briefly News