- South Africa's Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel spoke out against United States sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court
- Navi Pillay, a South African jurist and former ICC judge, became a target for Donald Trump and Israel after winning the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize
- The US imposed full blocking sanctions on the ICC on 9 October 2026, after Trump expressed unhappiness at not winning the award
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG — The South African government has voiced strong opposition to sweeping United States sanctions against the International Criminal Court, as President Donald Trump and Israel directed criticism at South African jurist Navi Pillay following her receipt of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel used his address at the Social Justice Summit in Stellenbosch on Monday, 12 October 2026, to reaffirm the country's commitment to the court and to caution against external interference in its operations.
South Africa warns against political pressure on the ICC
Speaking about the sanctions, Nel shared the government's thoughts on the latest developments.
"South Africa is very concerned by the sanctions imposed by the United States on the International Criminal Court and its officials," Nel said.
He added that as a founding member of the ICC, South Africa stood firmly behind the institution. Nel also drew a distinction between legitimate criticism and coercive pressure:
"It is entirely legitimate to criticise a court or disagree with its decisions. That is different from applying pressure to judges or prosecutors because of the work they perform."
His remarks came days after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced full blocking sanctions against the ICC on 9 October 2026.
The designation targets the court as an institution rather than select individuals, freezing any ICC assets held under US jurisdiction and barring American persons, companies, and banks from conducting any transactions with it — including banking, insurance, software, and payment services.
The move escalated earlier, more targeted sanctions that had been imposed on roughly 17 individual ICC judges, prosecutors, and related officials. That decision was heavily criticised by the Economic Freedom Fighters.
Trump and Israel criticise Pillay after Nobel Prize win
The political controversy intensified after Pillay, a respected South African jurist and former ICC judge, was named the recipient of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions to human rights and international law.
Trump, who reportedly believed he deserved the award for his claimed role in brokering the end of eight international conflicts, publicly questioned Pillay's standing and dismissed her achievements.
Israel, meanwhile, criticised Pillay over her involvement in investigations into the conflict in Gaza, accusing her of making false allegations. The ICC had previously issued warrants for Israeli officials, making Pillay a focal point for Israeli opposition to the court.
Trump awarded inaugural Peace Prize
Briefly News also reported that while Trump has not won a Nobel Peace Prize, he did win the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.
The President of the United States was honoured with the award, a medal and a certificate by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The presentation was made at the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was staged in the US, Mexico and Canada.
Source: Briefly News