PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA — The South African government has issued a scathing rebuke of former President Jacob Zuma following the emergence of footage showing him reuniting in India with Ajay Gupta, a key fugitive accused of masterminding the country's multi-billion dollar "state capture" corruption scandal.
The meeting has sparked a formal diplomatic inquiry, with Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola accusing the 84-year-old former statesman of running a dangerous "parallel foreign policy" that actively undermines the current administration.
"A Middle Finger to South Africans"
The backlash intensified following a post-cabinet media briefing in Pretoria, where Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni condemned Zuma’s actions as a direct insult to the public.
"It is very disturbing that a former state president openly and unapologetically shows the middle finger to South Africans who have lost a lot of money through the Gupta brothers’ shenanigans," Ntshavheni stated. She added that it was a "level of disgrace" that Zuma continues to claim he wants to run the country again while openly associating with fugitives.
The outrage follows a viral video recorded during Zuma's visit to a temple in the pilgrim city of Haridwar, along the River Ganges. In the footage, a garlanded Zuma stands alongside Ajay Gupta, publicly embracing him and referring to him as a "brother and friend." Zuma also used the platform to suggest he would return to power in upcoming elections, despite being forced out of office by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in 2018 under a cloud of corruption allegations.
Diplomatic Envoy Under Investigation
The controversy has expanded into a full-blown diplomatic crisis. Photographs and video clips revealed that South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, was present at the temple alongside Zuma and Gupta.
Minister Lamola has ordered an urgent internal investigation into Sooklal’s involvement. While former presidents are entitled to basic diplomatic facilitation when traveling abroad, government officials emphasized that state resources should never be used to interface with individuals fleeing South African justice.
The Legacy of State Capture
The Indian-born Gupta brothers—Ajay, Atul, and Rajesh—built a massive business empire in South Africa during Zuma’s presidency (2009–2018). A landmark 2016 anti-corruption report and subsequent judicial commissions established that the family systematically plundered state organs, secured lucrative state contracts, and even influenced cabinet appointments through bribery.
The brothers fled South Africa in 2018 as law enforcement closed in.
- Ajay Gupta was declared a fugitive from justice in 2018, though local charges against him were later dropped on technicalities in 2019. However, judicial findings still identify him as a primary architect of the state capture syndicate.
- Atul and Rajesh Gupta fled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In 2023, a Dubai court rejected South Africa’s initial request to extradite them, though South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that active Interpol Red Notices remain in place and a renewed extradition process is underway.
The MK Party, founded by Zuma, has dismissed the government's criticism, asserting that Zuma is a private citizen free to travel and meet whomever he pleases.
To see the original broadcast and local coverage detailing how this meeting unfolded in northern India, you can watch the
