Ronald Lamola Recalls High Commissioner Anil Sooklal Over India Visit

South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, was recalled to Pretoria following public backlash over photographs showing him alongside former President Jacob Zuma and fugitive businessman Ajay Gupta at an Indian temple in late June 2026, prompting an internal government investigation and proposed protocol reforms.

Minister Ronald Lamola Orders Internal Probe and Recalls High Commissioner

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola ordered an internal investigation into why South Africa’s top diplomat in India appeared at a public prayer gathering alongside figures central to the country’s state capture era. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation confirmed that High Commissioner Anil Sooklal had been recalled to headquarters for consultations following the incident.

The controversy erupted after Indian news media published photographs showing Sooklal standing alongside Zuma and Gupta at the Sidipeeth Shri Dakshin Kali Temple in Haridwar. The gathering took place on Friday, June 26, 2026, during a prayer meeting hosted by Swami Kailashanand Giri. The association immediately drew sharp criticism from opposition legislators and political organizations inside South Africa.

Political Fallout and Opposition Outcry Over State Capture Associations

Political leaders voiced fierce opposition to the diplomat’s presence alongside Ajay Gupta, whom investigators identify as a central architect of the corruption networks that drained South African state-owned enterprises during Zuma’s presidency. Democratic Alliance international relations spokesperson Ryan Smith submitted parliamentary questions demanding to know why the High Commissioner rolled out the red carpet for the former president and the State Capture-accused businessman.

African National Congress Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula added to the criticism on social media, stating that Zuma’s meeting with fugitives amounted to spitting in the face of our law enforcement agencies. Rudi Heyneke, a State Capture investigator at OUTA, noted that while Ajay Gupta avoided direct corporate directorships at state firms like Transnet, Eskom, and Denel, he operated as the primary mastermind behind operations that used his brothers to siphon public funds.

Official Defense and Protocol Explanations from Pretoria

Amid calls for disciplinary action, an anonymous source within diplomatic circles defended Sooklal’s actions, asserting that the High Commissioner was simply carrying out instructions from Dirco head office to extend standard diplomatic courtesies to a former head of state traveling privately. According to this account, the mission had cleared Zuma’s travel with Indian authorities and greeted him upon his arrival in New Delhi.

The defense maintained that Sooklal had no advance knowledge of Ajay Gupta’s attendance at the religious ceremony until the day prior and had received an independent invitation to the prayer meeting directly from Swami Giri, a prominent religious leader with a vast following in India. The source explained that Sooklal merely inserted himself into a photograph requested by Zuma during the event.

Extradition Stalls as Legal Status of the Guptas Remains Complex

The diplomatic uproar intersects with ongoing, protracted efforts to bring the Gupta brothers back to South Africa to face criminal prosecution. Although Atul and Rajesh Gupta were arrested in the United Arab Emirates in 2022 following Interpol Red Notices issued by South African authorities, a Dubai court dismissed the extradition requests on technical grounds in 2023.

Entity	Involvement in State Capture Era	Current Legal Status (as of 2026)
Ajay Gupta	Suspected mastermind behind corporate collusion networks	No active arrest warrant from South African authorities
Atul and Rajesh Gupta	Charged over the R25-million Nulane Investment feasibility study	Extradition process underway following UAE court dismissal

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed that there is no warrant for arrest against Ajay from local prosecutors, even as outgoing prosecutions boss Shamila Batohi signaled a renewed extradition push in January 2026.

Proposed Framework Reforms for Former Presidents Traveling Abroad

Addressing a media briefing in Pretoria, Minister Lamola announced that his department submitted formal recommendations to both Parliament and the Presidency to consider a new framework for protocol and diplomatic support provided to former heads of state during international travel.

SA high commissioner to India joins Zuma, Ajay Gupta meet — Lamola orders probe — Photo: dailymaverick.co.za

Government officials noted that standard protocol requirements dictate that embassies must provide logistical assistance whenever a former president travels abroad, regardless of the private nature of the trip. The proposed review aims to establish tighter guidelines to prevent similar diplomatic compromises in the future, leaving open the question of whether Sooklal will face formal disciplinary measures once the internal department probe concludes.