The Democratic Alliance (DA) has fired a sharp salvo at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), demanding full transparency and accountability over its handling of former President Jacob Zuma’s recent private visit to India. The official opposition party’s call comes after photographs emerged showing Zuma in the company of Ajay Gupta—a businessman at the heart of the State Capture Commission’s findings—during his time in the subcontinent, reigniting public fury over the controversial family’s lingering influence.
In a statement released on Thursday, DA Shadow Minister of International Relations Emma Powell described the images as “deeply troubling” and questioned whether DIRCO had extended any diplomatic or logistical support to Zuma during the trip, despite its purported private nature. “The Gupta name is synonymous with state capture, corruption, and the pillaging of South African public resources,” Powell asserted. “For a former president to be photographed socializing with a fugitive from justice while supposedly on a private visit raises serious questions about whose interests are being served.”
The DA has formally requested that DIRCO Minister Naledi Pandor provide a detailed brief outlining whether the department facilitated Zuma’s travel, assisted with visa arrangements, or engaged with Indian authorities on his behalf. Additionally, the party wants clarity on whether any state resources were utilized and whether the visit was cleared in accordance with protocol for former heads of state.
DIRCO has yet to respond to the DA’s demands, but sources within the department have indicated that Zuma’s trip was entirely self-funded and that the department played no active role. However, the opposition remains unconvinced, arguing that the appearance of proximity to the Guptas—even years after their fall from grace—undermines South Africa’s fight against corruption. As political pressure mounts, the DA has vowed to pursue the matter through parliamentary channels, ensuring that this latest chapter in the Zuma-Gupta saga does not fade quietly into the shadows.
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