International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola has expressed concern over the recent video of MK Party leader and former President Jacob Zuma in India, meeting with corruption-accused Ajay Gupta.
Zuma visited a temple with Gupta, who has previously been labelled as the mastermind behind the State Capture years.
While the MK Party’s Mzwanele Manyi has described the visit as private, questions have been raised about the presence of South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, at the same temple.
Lamola says enquiries are being made to determine the purpose of the visit.
“It was a bit different because it was about him reclaiming leadership of the country. So all these are issues that we have to inquire into and look into how we can have this.”
READ: Zuma says he will win elections, offers prayers at Ajay Gupta’s ashram in India
Lamola, speaking to the media on Thursday, said while Zuma’s presidential privileges allow him benefits, it needs to be balanced, as he is not supposed to represent the South African government.
“Because it was a bit easier in the past, sometimes when the former presidents were no longer fully in active politics. But it’s clear now, former President Zuma is active, is in active politics. What does it mean for our foreign policy? And his party has a different perspective on foreign policy.”
Former MK Party Head Magasela Mzobe also expressed concern following Zuma’s visit, calling on current party members to shield Zuma from political attacks.
“It’s a collective responsibility of both the MKP leadership and membership to protect its President from any possible harm, politically or otherwise. The reported meeting of President Zuma with Ajay Gupta is harmful to our President and the movement as a whole. I hope the MKP leadership won’t entangle itself, the President, and our movement into this Manyi-Gupta entanglement. Cde Mzwanele Manyi and the JG Foundation must take full responsibility for the Indian trip presented to the President as a private visit for religious purposes.”
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation says the visit to India is deeply disturbing.
“Rather than viewing this as a standard private visit, South Africans must confront the damning realities established by the judiciary. The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture formally concluded that Mr Zuma acted as a central enabler of the Gupta family’s enterprise, explicitly finding that he “advanced the interests of the Gupta family at the expense of the people of South Africa” and routinely abused his presidential authority to remove officials who refused to compromise their integrity.”
The Zondo Commission identified Ajay Gupta as a central architect of South Africa’s state capture, transforming his family business into an organised racketeering enterprise that systematically drained public funds from key entities like Eskom and Transnet.
“Through collusion with former President Jacob Zuma, Gupta wielded unchecked influence by offering cabinet positions for commercial favours and manipulating government advertising budgets to support his media ventures.”
The Foundation says perhaps most alarming is that South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, was pictured right alongside Zuma and Gupta during this visit.
The Foundation has demanded urgent answers about why Sooklal was present, whether any consular assistance was provided, and what active steps are being taken by the South African diplomatic mission to ensure accountability of the Guptas.
“What active steps is the South African diplomatic mission in India taking to ensure the extradition and accountability of individuals wanted for crippling our economy, rather than sharing social and religious platforms with them?”
The Foundation concluded by warning against the normalisation of State Capture figures, saying they can’t be allowed to seep back into our cabinet or our foreign diplomatic missions.
