Government said it did consult the International Criminal Court (ICC) and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa) nations before a decision was taken for Russian President Vladimir Putin not to physically attend the BRICS summit.
However, he will be attending virtually.
South Africa had come under pressure to arrest Putin after a warrant was issued in connection with the war in Ukraine.
But it was announced on Wednesday that Putin would not be coming.
“We fulfil our international obligations fully and respect our international obligations, in terms of the treaties that we have signed,” said Professor Anil Sooklal – the Ambassador at Large: Asia and BRICS, at the Department of International Relations.
He said South Africa remains a signatory to the Rome Statute.
“There is no such decision, at the moment. We are a full treaty to the Rome Statute, and we respect those provisions, and that is why we were at pains to find a solution to the dilemma that South Africa found itself in.”