Sooklal off the hook: SA’s high commissioner to India cleared over Gupta, Zuma meeting

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has cleared itself and South Africa’s high commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, of any wrongdoing when he attended the same religious event in Haridwar, India, as former president Jacob Zuma and State Capture suspect Ajay Gupta.

Indian media published images of Sooklal, Zuma and Gupta at the prayer meeting conducted by Swami Kailashanand Giri at the Siddhpeeth Shri Dakshin Kali Temple in Haridwar, about 200km north of New Delhi, on 26 June this year. This caused considerable embarrassment to the South African government.

Last month, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola announced that Sooklal had been called back to Pretoria for consultations on the incident.

Mission not involved

On Wednesday, 2 September, Dirco announced that it had completed its internal consultations with Sooklal. Its assessment was that the role of South Africa’s high commission in India “was confined to ceremonial reception and departure arrangements, as well as attendance at a public religious event for which the high commissioner had been independently invited in his official capacity”.

“The information available indicates that the mission did not arrange, facilitate or participate in any private meetings involving former president Zuma and Mr Gupta. The government position remains that routine assistance to former heads of state does not constitute authorisation to former heads of state to represent the government of the Republic or advance official interests.”

The Dirco statement noted that on 19 June 2026 the Presidency had informed Dirco of the forthcoming private visit by Zuma to India “and requested assistance with the necessary protocol and logistical arrangements”.

“In accordance with the established practice applicable to all former presidents, Dirco subsequently notified the South African High Commission in New Delhi and requested that the customary protocol support be provided.

“Information provided by the South African High Commission in New Delhi indicates that the mission did not facilitate any substantive engagement between former president Jacob Zuma and Mr Ajay Gupta during the visit.

“The assistance rendered formed part of the established protocol, administrative and logistical support ordinarily extended to former presidents through official channels, including ceremonial lounge arrangements, airport courtesies, liaison with host government authorities, and related travel facilitation.”

Dirco said that on arrival in India Zuma was met by Sooklal and a designated high commission official “in accordance with established protocol, with similar assistance provided upon departure”.

It said Sooklal had attended the prayer meeting in Haridwar in his capacity as high commissioner “following a separate invitation from host organisers. He did not accompany former president Zuma or Mr Gupta, and although Mr Gupta was present among approximately 1,000 invited guests, the high commissioner reported no direct interaction with him.”

“Government remains firmly committed to the Constitution, the rule of law and accountability. Whilst Mr Gupta is not subject to an extradition request by South Africa, Dirco continues to facilitate cooperation between South African law enforcement authorities and the Indian authorities in respect of mutual legal assistance requests and other ongoing legal processes involving members of the Gupta family.

“Dirco has recommended a mechanism that will enable the state to ensure that engagements of this nature are assessed for potential reputational, political, diplomatic or security risks,” it added.

This mechanism would aim to prevent repetitions of the Haridwar embarrassment but also repetitions of Zuma’s visit to Uganda in May, when he met President Yoweri Museveni and discussed strengthening business and investment cooperation between South Africa and Uganda, according to the Ugandan presidency.

This is the sort of meeting Dirco was referring to in Wednesday’s statement when it said “routine assistance to former heads of state does not constitute authorisation to former heads of state to represent the government of the Republic or advance official interests”.

**‘**Interministerial oblivion’

MP Ryan Smith, the DA’s spokesperson on international relations and cooperation, said Dirco’s investigation into Sooklal’s diplomatic conduct had “exposed a worrying communications divide between the Presidency and Dirco itself”.

He said the investigation had concluded that the Presidency had informed Dirco on 19 June 2026 of Zuma’s upcoming visit and requested that customary protocol be provided.

“However, in early July, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni was blissfully unaware when she publicly excoriated High Commissioner Sooklal for ‘hobnobbing’ with Jacob Zuma and Ajay Gupta despite presiding over the ministry having given Dirco and the high commission strict instructions to prepare for Jacob Zuma’s arrival.

“The recent raft of public contradictions between Minister Ntshavheni and Minister Ronald Lamola have exposed a deeply worrying communications divide between two critical nodes of the head of South Africa’s national executive and our diplomatic footprint.

“This display of interministerial oblivion coupled with repeated instances of ministerial foot-in-mouth do not engender any sense of public confidence in the ANC ministers tasked with upholding the dignity, integrity and respectability warranted for our government’s top posts.”

Smith added that Dirco’s report also questioned Zuma’s entitlement to diplomatic provision for international travel as a former head of state “given that he has been found guilty of contempt of the Constitutional Court and still faces a raft of allegations of corruption, fraud and racketeering which remain unanswered”.

“Should South African taxpayers be footing the bill to accommodate a former head of state who has yet to answer for allegations which undermined the very fabric of our democracy, our government and our society over the now infamous nine wasted years?” DM