By Mawande AmaShabalala
Mawande@sundayworld.co.za
South Africa’s high commissioner to India, Professor Anil Sooklal, has told the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) top brass in Pretoria that his recent public appearance in India with the notorious Gupta family and former president Jacob Zuma was purely incidental.
Sooklal was summoned to Pretoria this week after his controversial appearance with Zuma and Ajay Gupta, one of the Gupta brothers accused of pillaging the country’s resources during the Zuma years at the Union Buildings.
Sunday World can reveal that Dirco bosses are stuck with a headache after Sooklal told them that his presence at the event had nothing to do with Zuma. Although Sooklal told the Dirco hierarchy that he knew about Zuma was in India, he insisted he had no clue that he would be attending the same event.
“The fellow has created a headache for us with a technical explanation which, at face value, is believable and very difficult to disprove,” a highly placed insider at Dirco said.
“He says he bumped into the Nkandla madala (Zuma) coincidentally and that he was invited to the event directly and he did not know Zuma would be there.
“That is where things are … It is what it is but engagements will continue. It is unlikely he will be problematised because he did produce the invite he got, which has nothing to do with Zuma. It is likely that he is going to return to his posting soon without any sanction.”
This week, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola announced the need to introduce stricter laws to govern international travel by former heads of state after Zuma’s Indian scandal.
Since departing office as head of state, Zuma has undertaken several international trips that have, at time,s blurred the lines between his and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s role.
In May, Zuma met long-time Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Uganda. The trip had tongues wagging because it portrayed the former president as if he were still in office in the Union Buildings. Early last year, Zuma attended Ghanaian President John Mahama’s inauguration and he visited Burkina Faso’s captain, Ibrahim Traoré.
Zuma regularly travels to the Russian Federation, among other countries.
During a press conference this week over Zuma’s Indian trip, Lamola said “a new framework for protocol and diplomatic support to former presidents and former deputy presidents during international travel” was needed.
“This will help us avoid the situation where former presidents portray themselves as also representing South Africa’s foreign policy, particularly when they have not been mandated by the sitting head of state.”
The government has previously slammed Zuma’s Indian trip, especially the public bromance with Ajay Gupta, saying it was tantamount to spitting in South African citizens’ faces.
“We have lost a lot of money through the Guptas’ shenanigans … [yet] he continues to show a middle finger and claims that he wants to run this country,” Ntshavheni said last month.
“It’s a level of disgrace that our own employee (Sooklal), the representative of the government of South Africa, hobnobs with the criminals instead of doing his work to ensure that the fugitives are brought to book.”
During his stay in India, Zuma was seen speaking to the media, praising Ajay as a friend and brother who had been unfairly chased away from South Africa.
His uMkhonto weSizwe Party has rallied behind Zuma, describing the trip as private. Sooklal could not be reached for comment.
- South Africa’s high commissioner to India, Professor Anil Sooklal, told Dirco that his recent public appearance with former president Jacob Zuma and Gupta family member Ajay Gupta in India was purely incidental.
- Sooklal stated he was unaware Zuma would be at the event he attended and that he was invited directly, with the invitation having no connection to Zuma.
- Dirco officials find Sooklal’s explanation believable and difficult to disprove, and it is unlikely he will face sanctions and is expected to return to his posting soon.
- International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola announced the need for stricter laws to govern international travel by former heads of state following Zuma’s controversial Indian trip.
- The government condemned Zuma’s Indian trip and his public association with Ajay Gupta, viewing it as disrespectful to South African citizens and criticizing Sooklal for associating with alleged criminals.
