South Africa plans new rules on ex-leaders' foreign trips after Zuma's visit to India

South Africa is considering new regulations governing former leaders' foreign travel following recent controversies involving former President Jacob Zuma. In 2022, the committee concluded that Zuma had hired and fired ministers cardinal to the moving of the country's system astatine the behest of the Gupta family. The South African authorities ended up cancelling their apprehension warrant for Ajay Gupta. The 2 younger Gupta brothers, Atul and Rajesh, went to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), wherever a tribunal successful 2023 turned down a South African petition to extradite them Zuma has since been expelled from the African National Congress (ANC), the enactment helium erstwhile led, and present heads the absorption uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK). During Zuma's sojourn to India, a photograph of the 84-year-old South African person and Ajay Gupta was taken astatine an Indian temple. South Africa's precocious commissioner to India, Anil Sooklal, was besides pictured with the duo and helium has since been recalled. The diplomat has denied immoderate wrongdoing. Foreign Affairs Minister Ronald Lamola said that his section had submitted a proposal to parliament and the president's bureau for caller protocols for erstwhile heads of authorities during overseas trips. They would person to "provide afloat details" connected the upcoming travel for "an informed appraisal of the due level of enactment required and immoderate associated reputational, political, diplomatic oregon information risks", helium said astatine a briefing connected Wednesday. This is not the archetypal clip Zuma's overseas visits person caused controversy. Last year, helium visited Morocco and spoke successful enactment of the North African nation's assertion implicit the disputed territory of Western Sahara - thing South Africa opposes. Zuma undertook the travel arsenic MK person but was pictured successful beforehand of the South African emblem erstwhile helium met Morocco's overseas curate and brought up Western Sahara. South Africa condemned the sojourn and raised a ceremonial diplomatic protestation astir it with Morocco.