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The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes, with deep concern, comments made by Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshaveni, who today publicly reprimanded South African High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, for receiving former president Jacob Zuma, and Ajay Gupta upon a recent visit to India.

The only problem is that it was confirmed to parliament’s portfolio committee on International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) earlier today that High Commissioner Sooklal received written instructions from DIRCO to do so.

Between High Commissioner Sooklal and DIRCO, who is lying to the people of South Africa?

If indeed High Commissioner Sooklal received instructions from DIRCO to formally receive Jacob Zuma and corruption-accused Ajay Gupta in India, heads must roll.

The DA calls on Minister of DIRCO, Ronald Lamola, to urgently launch a departmental inquiry into this grave violation of diplomatic protocol which demonstrates the seeming political capture of South Africa’s foreign service or departmental officials who continue to aid and abet state capture beyond South Africa’s borders.

South Africa needs to know whether Minister Lamola and his department knew about this visit and gave instructions to prepare for it, or whether the High Commissioner himself violated his mandate by doing so.

Either way, there must be consequences for this blatant insult to the South African people who suffered at the hands of state capture under Jacob Zuma’s nine wasted years.

The DA will be submitting an additional batch of written questions to Minister Lamola to get to the bottom of this grave violation of state mandate and subversion of foreign policy to appease corrupt interests at the taxpayers’ expense.

Minister Lamola cannot preside over a department that remains loyal to a corrupt former president and his allies, and if he himself is implicated, President Ramaphosa must fire him from his post.

South Africa cannot purport to be a country that respects the rule of law when our foreign service and DIRCO minister seem to entertain those who face allegations of some of the most widespread crime in our country’s history.

Whoever is guilty for this misconduct must face consequences.

The very same consequences that Jacob Zuma and Ajay Gupta have evades for years.

As a member of the Government of National Unity (GNU), the DA will not tolerate our foreign service being hijacked to entertain those who have stolen from our country and its people for almost a decade.

It is inconceivable that Ajay Gupta is allowed to meet with Jacob Zuma outside of our borders in a taunting display if impunity, and if Ronald Lamola or DIRCO are involved, they must face the music.

Issued by Ryan Smith MP - DA Spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation