--- title: "Ntshavheni says SA diplomat will face action for ‘hobnobbing’ with Zuma and Ajay Gupta" description: "Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says the South African High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, and former president Jacob Zuma were ‘showing the middle finger’ to South Africans when they appeared at an event with corruption-accused Ajay Gupta." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "FLIPPING THE BIRD" author: "Victoria O’Regan" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/victoria-oregan-3-2-2/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-03-ntshavheni-says-sa-diplomat-will-face-action-for-hobnobbing-with-zuma-and-ajay-gupta/" published: "2026-07-03T14:08:06" updated: "2026-07-03T14:08:09" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 668 --- # Ntshavheni says SA diplomat will face action for ‘hobnobbing’ with Zuma and Ajay Gupta > Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says the South African High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, and former president Jacob Zuma were ‘showing the middle finger’ to South Africans when they appeared at an event with corruption-accused Ajay Gupta. By Victoria O’Regan · Published 3 July 2026, 16:08 SAST · Updated 3 July 2026, 16:08 SAST ## Key points - Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni condemns SA diplomat Anil Sooklal for mingling with Jacob Zuma and Ajay Gupta, calling it a “disgrace” reflective of corruption. - Photos of the trio at a prayer meeting in India have ignited outrage, with the government promising to take action against Sooklal for undermining criminal justice. - Minister Ronald Lamola has ordered an internal probe, while Zuma’s open defiance of South African law raises alarms about former leaders’ accountability. - The Gupta brothers remain fugitives, as South Africa struggles to extradite them, leaving questions about the efficacy of justice reforms. ## Content Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has called South African High Commissioner to India Anil Sooklal’s appearance at an event with former president Jacob Zuma and State Capture-accused Ajay Gupta in India a “disgrace”. Photos appeared in Indian news media showing Zuma, Sooklal and Gupta standing alongside Swami Kailashanand Giri at a prayer meeting at the Sidipeeth Shri Dakshin Kali Temple in Haridwar, India, last Friday, 26 June. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) Ronald Lamola has [ordered an internal report on Sooklal’s presence](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-02-lamola-orders-probe-after-sa-diplomat-joins-zumas-india-reunion-with-fugitive-ajay-gupta/?dm_source=blocks-list-item&dm_medium=card-link&dm_campaign=inform) at the event. At a post-Cabinet press conference on Friday, 3 July, Ntshavheni reassured reporters that the “necessary steps” would be taken against Sooklal. > [#YNews](https://x.com/hashtag/YNews?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw): [@RonaldLamola](https://x.com/RonaldLamola?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) says government will investigate former President Jacob Zuma's recent visit to India after he was seen meeting with figures linked to state capture allegations. > > Zuma and South Africa's High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, were photographed with… [pic.twitter.com/y635eFrN70](https://t.co/y635eFrN70) > > — Y (@Yfm) [July 2, 2026](https://x.com/Yfm/status/2072732862281912494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) “It is a level of disgrace that our own employee – a representative of South Africa – hobnobs with criminals instead of doing his work to ensure that the criminals are brought to book \[and\] are brought back to South Africa,” she said. “It is for that reason why Minister Lamola has not only requested a report from the official, but has indicated that drastic steps will be taken to make sure that nobody undermines the laws of this country while representing this country.” Ajay, with his brothers Atul and Rajesh Gupta, is accused of orchestrating widespread government corruption, colluding with Zuma to capture critical parts of the state during his time in office. However, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed there is no warrant of arrest against Ajay. ![Ajay Gupta and younger brother Atul Gupta at a one-on-one interview with Business Day in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 2 March 2011. (Photo: Gallo Images / Business Day / Martin Rhodes)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/XBnjX7ml_kCnBG-yyTZ0ZI5CTro=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AV_00005559.jpg) *Ajay Gupta and younger brother Atul Gupta at a one-on-one interview with Business Day in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 2 March 2011. (Photo: Gallo Images / Business Day / Martin Rhodes)* The Guptas fled South Africa in 2018. South Africa’s request to extradite Atul and Rajesh from the United Arab Emirates in 2023 [failed after a court in Dubai ruled on a technicality](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-04-07-the-guptas-are-gone-no-one-is-to-blame-everyone-did-their-best-the-end/) not to proceed with it. The NPA has no active extradition proceedings against any of the three fugitive brothers. On Friday, Ntshavheni accused Sooklal of “undermining” South Africa’s criminal justice system, and “showing a middle finger to South Africans who are paying his salary”. ### **‘Showing us the middle finger’** Ntshevheni added: “Similarly, it’s also very disturbing that a former state president can openly and unapologetically show the middle finger to South Africans, and continues to show the middle finger and claims that he wants to run this country again. “It shows the type of person he is and that is for South Africans to judge,” she continued. Daily Maverick’s Peter Fabricius [reported that a source](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-02-lamola-orders-probe-after-sa-diplomat-joins-zumas-india-reunion-with-fugitive-ajay-gupta/?dm_source=blocks-list-item&dm_medium=card-link&dm_campaign=inform) had defended Sooklal, saying he was merely carrying out instructions from Dirco head office to extend the usual courtesies to Zuma as a former head of state. The High Commission had cleared Zuma’s visit with the Indian government and had met him on his arrival in New Delhi last Thursday. Zuma was accompanied by close confidant Mzwanele Manyi, reported [News24](https://www.news24.com/politics/zuma-visits-ajay-gupta-in-india-accompanied-by-top-sa-diplomat-20260630-0867). ![Former SA president Jacob Zuma at the launch of the MK party’s Youth League at Christianenburg Stadium in Durban](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/gBtWemEIN9zWsMFkFhemuuZkNXE=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ED_561166.jpg) *Former SA president Jacob Zuma at the launch of the MK party’s Youth League at Christianenburg Stadium in Durban on 16 June 2025. (Photo: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images)* Ntshavheni seemed to confirm this on Friday, saying there are certain privileges extended to former heads of state, but that the government “is entitled to review such privileges if they are abused to undermine the laws of this Republic. “This is not the first instance in relation to this particular state president \[where\] he undermines not only the foreign policy of the country, but also the laws of the country,” she said. She added that the government, however, does not have the itineraries of former heads of state when they travel. Ntshavheni said privileges currently extend to heads of state who provide “a request to fund their travelling”, which she said the government was reviewing. **DM**