South African Government Clears High Commissioner to India Over Zuma and Gupta Event

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has cleared South Africa's high commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, of any wrongdoing following an internal review. The investigation focused on Sooklal's presence at a religious event in Haridwar in June, where he was photographed alongside former president Jacob Zuma and Ajay Gupta, a suspect in the state capture scandal. Sooklal had previously been recalled to Pretoria for consultations by International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola.

Dirco concluded that the high commission's role was limited to ceremonial reception and departure arrangements for Zuma, which is standard protocol for former presidents. The department stated that Sooklal attended the prayer meeting at the Siddhpeeth Shri Dakshin Kali Temple independently after receiving an invitation in his official capacity. According to the department, the mission did not arrange or facilitate any private meetings between Zuma and Gupta, and Sooklal reported no direct interaction with Gupta during the event.

While South Africa has not issued an extradition request for Gupta, Dirco stated it continues to work with Indian authorities on mutual legal assistance requests regarding the Gupta family. To prevent future incidents, Dirco has recommended a new mechanism to assess the reputational, political, diplomatic, or security risks of similar engagements. This follows concerns that former heads of state should not conduct a parallel foreign policy or represent the country without an official mandate.