By Akani Nkuna
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola has confirmed that South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, has been recalled to the department’s headquarters for “consultations”.
The recall follows an internal investigation ordered by Lamola after Sooklal was photographed with former president Jacob Zuma and state capture-implicated businessman Ajay Gupta during Zuma’s private visit to India in June.
Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday, Lamola said the government was also considering tighter rules governing the diplomatic and protocol support provided to former presidents and deputy presidents travelling abroad.
“We confirm that High Commissioner Anil Sooklal has been recalled to Headquarters for consultations,” Lamola said.
“We have also submitted a recommendation to Parliament and the Presidency to consider a new framework for protocol and diplomatic support to former Presidents and former Deputy Presidents during international travel.”
Lamola said the proposed framework would require former presidents and deputy presidents seeking government support during overseas trips to disclose more information about their travel arrangements and planned engagements.
“As part of this framework, The Presidency and DIRCO jointly establish a mandatory disclosure mechanism requiring former Presidents and Deputy Presidents seeking protocol and diplomatic support to provide full details of the purpose of travel, programme of activities, sources of funding, principal hosts, key engagements and the capacity in which they will be travelling, to enable an informed assessment of the appropriate level of support required and any associated reputational, political, diplomatic or security risks,” he said.
The controversy started after photographs and videos emerged showing Zuma, Sooklal and Gupta at a religious ceremony in India. Zuma described Gupta as his “brother and friend”, prompting criticism from the government, opposition parties and civil society organisations.
The Democratic Alliance subsequently said Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation had been informed that Sooklal received written instructions from DIRCO to formally receive Zuma.
DIRCO Director-General Zane Dangor said the department ordinarily received notification when former presidents travelled and required diplomatic or protocol assistance. However, such notification did not necessarily provide details of every person the former office-bearer intended to meet.
“It is not about whether we knew or not, we always get a letter, that is standard, that indicates we must provide protocol to any of the Presidents that would travel,” Dangor said.
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