South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, has been recalled to Pretoria for consultations following his appearance alongside former president Jacob Zuma and alleged state capture mastermind Ajay Gupta at a religious ceremony in India.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola confirmed this on Wednesday and also announced that government had recommended a new framework governing diplomatic and protocol support provided to former presidents and former deputy presidents travelling abroad, following the controversy.
Africa Daily understands that Sooklal has since submitted an explanation to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation detailing how he came to attend the same religious ceremony as Zuma and Gupta.
According to Sooklal’s submission, he attended the ancient Hindu temple in his official capacity as South Africa’s High Commissioner to India after receiving an invitation from the organisers.
He explained that Zuma had been invited separately in his capacity as a former head of state and that it was only upon arriving at the temple that it was announced Zuma would be the event’s special guest of honour.
Sooklal further stated that he had no knowledge one of the Gupta brothers would also be attending the ceremony.
Sooklal’s explanation has since been forwarded to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who appoints South Africa’s diplomatic envoys.
Under the proposed framework, former heads of state seeking diplomatic or protocol assistance would be required to disclose the purpose of their trips, travel programmes, sources of funding, principal hosts, key engagements and the capacity in which they would be travelling.
Government said the information would enable authorities to assess the appropriate level of diplomatic support required, as well as any associated reputational, political, diplomatic or security risks.
The development comes as South Africa continues efforts to secure the Gupta brothers’ return to face criminal proceedings linked to state capture.
It also follows remarks by Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who described Sooklal’s appearance alongside Zuma and Gupta as “a disgrace”, saying it undermined South Africa’s efforts to bring the Gupta brothers back to face justice.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), however, said Lamola’s latest update had raised more questions than answers.
The party’s spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation, Ryan Smith, said Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation had previously been informed that Sooklal received instructions from the department to receive Zuma during his visit to India.
“The question still begs: between High Commissioner Sooklal and DIRCO, who is lying to the people of South Africa?” Smith said.
While welcoming government’s proposal to tighten protocol rules for former heads of state, Smith said it still failed to clarify whether Dirco had instructed Sooklal to receive Zuma, whether the department knew about Zuma’s itinerary, or whether the High Commissioner would face disciplinary action.
“South Africans are no closer to understanding what happened, who is responsible, and what action will be taken while Jacob Zuma clinks glasses with the Guptas who have yet to face consequences for a raft of corruption allegations outlined in the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture,” Smith said.
The DA said it would continue pursuing answers through Parliament, warning that any attempt by DIRCO to shield those responsible would undermine public confidence in South Africa’s diplomatic service.
