Key facts
- Former President Jacob Zuma met Ajay Gupta, a businessman accused of corruption, in India.
- A photograph of the meeting was circulated by Indian media.
- Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni described the meeting as Zuma 'showing the middle finger' to South Africa.
- Zuma reportedly stated his intention to run for re-election.
- South Africa's international relations minister announced an investigation into the meeting.
Former South African President Jacob Zuma has drawn criticism from a government minister after meeting Ajay Gupta, one of the Indian businessmen at the center of a decade-old corruption scandal. A photograph of Zuma and Gupta at an Indian temple emerged this week, prompting outrage from Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who stated Zuma was "showing the middle finger" to South Africans.
The Gupta brothers were accused of exploiting their close ties to Zuma to influence policy and profit from state resources, allegations they have denied. The family left South Africa in 2018 amid investigations into "state capture."
Zuma, who now leads the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, reportedly said after the meeting that he intends to stand for re-election in South Africa's upcoming elections. Ntshavheni called his actions "a disgrace," particularly as the South African high commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, accompanied Zuma to the meeting.
International relations minister Ronald Lamola announced that South Africa will launch an investigation into the meeting, suggesting Zuma might be pursuing a "parallel foreign policy."