Former South African President Jacob Zuma has sparked outrage after being photographed meeting with Ajay Gupta at an Indian temple, a move government officials are calling a blatant insult to the nation.
The Gupta brothers were at the center of the 'state capture' scandal, a decade-long web of corruption that saw the family exert undue influence over South African policy and state-owned enterprises like Eskom.
A judicial commission previously concluded that Zuma facilitated this corruption, notably by firing Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene for refusing to comply with the Guptas' demands. Despite the findings of the commission and the subsequent flight of the Gupta family to the UAE and India to evade justice, Zuma continues to operate with impunity.
Cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni condemned the meeting, stating that Zuma is 'showing the middle finger' to the South African people who suffered financially under his leadership.
Adding to the controversy, it was revealed that South Africa's high commissioner to India accompanied Zuma to the meeting, prompting the government to launch an investigation into what officials describe as a 'parallel foreign policy.' Zuma, who now leads the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, remains unrepentant and has even signaled his intent to run for office again, despite his central role in the systematic looting of the state.
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