Ntshavheni condemns envoy's conduct at Zuma and Gupta meeting in India
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has lashed out at South Africa's High Commissioner to India Anil Sooklal after he was seen with former president Jacob Zuma and fugitive Ajay Gupta during Zuma's recent visit to India.
The minister stressed that the government does not manage the private international travel of former presidents, adding that the envoy's conduct undermined South Africa's foreign policy objectives.
Speaking at a post-cabinet briefing in Pretoria on Friday, the minister said they are still awaiting an investigation report from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation regarding Anil Sookla's role in Zuma's recent trip to India.
“It's a level of disgrace that our own employee, hobnobs with the criminals instead of doing his work to ensure that the fugitives are brought back into South Africa so that they can face their criminal act.”
Ntshavheni clarified that government does not oversee the private international travel of former presidents and noted that the High Commissioner's actions were undermining the nation's foreign policy.
DIRCO probe continues
Meanwhile, International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has called for an investigation into the involvement of the High Commissioner in former president Jacob Zuma's visit.
Lamola says it's concerning that a former head of state can pursue foreign policy in parallel with that of the current government.
“It was a bit easier in the past, sometimes when the former presidents would no longer be fully in active politics. But it's clear now [that] former President Zuma is in active politics. What does it mean for our foreign policy? And his party has a different perspective. So, his privileges are not just about diplomatic facilitations, but also domestically, internal.”
