ActionSA condemns the Government’s decision not to sanction South Africa’s High Commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, after photographs emerged showing him alongside former President Jacob Zuma and fugitive Ajay Gupta.
At a time when South Africans continue to endure the catastrophic economic and institutional consequences of State Capture, any association between senior public officials and individuals at the centre of that project demands thorough scrutiny and decisive action.
The Gupta family in close conjunction with former President Zuma orchestrated one of the most extensive corruption networks in South Africa’s democratic history, capturing state institutions and looting billions from the public purse. It is therefore entirely reasonable to expect that public representatives entrusted with advancing South Africa’s interests abroad should be held to the highest ethical standard. Choosing not to act in these circumstances sends the wrong message and further erodes public confidence in the State’s willingness to confront and eradicate the legacy of State Capture.
The Government of National Unity cannot credibly claim to be committed to clean governance while appearing to excuse conduct that raises legitimate questions about the judgement and impartiality of senior diplomats. Accountability cannot be selective, nor can it be influenced by political convenience.
ActionSA calls on the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, to make public the basis upon which this decision was reached, including the findings of any internal investigation and the reasons why no disciplinary action was considered necessary.
If the GNU is serious about rebuilding public trust and restoring confidence in state institutions, it must demonstrate that no public official is beyond scrutiny and that every decision is guided by principle rather than political expediency which has become the hallmark of Ramaphosa’s presidency.
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