South Africa Recalls Envoy to India Over Gupta Event

Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola confirmed the recall on Wednesday in Pretoria, saying Sooklal was called back for further consultations. The move follows photographs from a June 26 temple ceremony showing Sooklal with Zuma and Ajay Gupta. Lamola said the foreign ministry has recommended a new framework for protocol and diplomatic support for former presidents' foreign visits.

Sooklal, who joined the ministry in 1995 and served as South Africa's longest-serving Brics sherpa, was appointed high commissioner to India in June 2024. The Gupta brothers are accused of using ties with Zuma, president from 2009 to 2018, to win contracts and siphon state funds; both deny wrongdoing. Ajay Gupta is in India, while Atul and Rajesh Gupta live in the UAE, where a court rejected extradition in 2023. The Democratic Alliance has demanded an inquiry into the incident, calling it a grave violation of diplomatic protocol.