Ntshavheni says SA diplomat will face action for ‘hobnobbing’ with Zuma and Ajay Gupta

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 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.

“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.

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 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 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.

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