3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Aug 7, 2026 05:35 AM IST
The South African envoy to India, Anil Sooklal, has been “recalled for consultations” by the South African government over his association with former president Jacob Zuma and controversial Indian-origin South African businessman Ajay Gupta.
Sooklal, an Indian-origin South African diplomat, was the country’s G20 sherpa, as well as the BRICS Sherpa, before he was appointed as the High Commissioner to India.
When contacted, Sooklal told The Indian Express that it was a “formality” and there were “no issues of concern.” He said that he will be back in Delhi after two days.
When Zuma visited India in his private capacity in June this year, he had gone to Haridwar where he was photographed with South African envoy Sooklal and businessman Gupta.
The trio were spotted together at the Sidhpeeth Shri Dakshin Kali Mandir in Haridwar during a religious ceremony.
South Africa’s International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said on Wednesday that the government has recalled Sooklal for “consultations”. The minister also announced that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has proposed stricter rules governing diplomatic support for former presidents travelling abroad.
About a decade ago, the Gupta brothers were accused of profiting from their close ties to the then President Zuma. The Gupta family left South Africa in 2018 after a judicial commission began investigating allegations that they were involved in a massive fraud known as “state capture”.
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In 2022, the commission concluded that Zuma had hired and fired ministers at the behest of the Gupta family, which included the two younger Gupta brothers, Atul and Rajesh.
Zuma has since been expelled from the African National Congress (ANC), the party he once led, and now heads the opposition uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), or ‘Spear of the Nation’.
On the current situation, Lamola said, “We have also submitted recommendations to Parliament and the presidency to consider a new framework for protocol and diplomatic support to former presidents and deputy presidents during international travels.”
Under the proposed framework, the presidency and DIRCO have established a mandatory disclosure mechanism requiring former presidents and deputy presidents seeking protocol and diplomatic assistance to provide full details of their travel plans.
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This includes the purpose of the trip, planned activities, sources of funding, key engagements and the capacity in which they will be travelling.
Lamola said the measures were aimed at preventing former leaders from creating the impression that they represent South Africa’s foreign policy.
“This will help us avoid a 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,” Lamola said.