Jacob Zuma’s visit to a Hindu temple in India built by the Guptas with funds stolen from South African taxpayers has triggered an SA Government probe. Zuma was hosted by Ajay Gupta — one of the brothers accused of masterminding state capture and subject to a warrant for arrest in South Africa. International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola accused Zuma of running a “parallel foreign policy,” after the former president claimed he was reclaiming leadership and predicted election victory. The optics are striking: Zuma, ousted in 2018 over his Gupta ties, cosying up to a fugitive still wanted on fraud and money-laundering charges, with UAE courts having blocked his extradition, apparently on “technical” grounds. With municipal elections looming in November, the true reason for Zuma’s India theatrics may go beyond nostalgia to the very real issue of seeking donors to fund vote catching.
By Ana Monteiro
South Africa’s Department of International Relations will probe Jacob Zuma’s visit to India where he met Ajay Gupta, who alongside his brothers is accused of orchestrating widespread government corruption during the former president’s time in office.
Indian media outlets reported that Zuma visited a Hindu temple in Haridwar, India, with Gupta and South Africa’s high commissioner to the nation, Anil Sooklal, News24 reported.Zuma “seems to be running a parallel foreign policy with the South African government,” International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said in an interview on broadcaster eNCA. He said Zuma claimed to represent Pretoria in India and that his speech in the Asian nation was about “reclaiming leadership of the country.”
“All these are issues that we have to inquire and look into,” Lamola said.
News24 reported Zuma as saying that he was in India to visit his “brother and friend” Gupta, who had been forced to leave South Africa. He said he had been “put aside” and that the current leadership was “messing up the country,” adding that he was “going to win the elections because people of God have been with me.”
The next South African election is a municipal vote in November.
Zuma “seems to be running a parallel foreign policy with the South African government,” International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said in an interview on broadcaster eNCA. He said Zuma claimed to represent Pretoria in India and that his speech in the Asian nation was about “reclaiming leadership of the country.”
“All these are issues that we have to inquire and look into,” Lamola said.
News24 reported Zuma as saying that he was in India to visit his “brother and friend” Gupta, who had been forced to leave South Africa. He said he had been “put aside” and that the current leadership was “messing up the country,” adding that he was “going to win the elections because people of God have been with me.”
The next South African election is a municipal vote in November.
Gupta, together with his brothers Atul and Rajesh, stands accused of weaving a vast corruption network that triggered the country’s worst political and economic crisis since the end of apartheid.
The brothers fled to Dubai before the ruling African National Congress forced Zuma to quit as president in 2018 to stem a loss of electoral support, partly due to his links to the family. The Guptas and Zuma have denied any wrongdoing.
Atul and Rajesh — wanted in South Africa on charges including money laundering and fraud, and sanctioned by both the US and UK governments — were arrested in the United Arab Emirates in 2022 after Interpol placed them on its most-wanted list.
In 2023, a UAE court denied South Africa’s extradition request, and the arrest warrant was canceled. South Africa provisionally withdrew its arrest warrant for Ajay in 2019.
© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.
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