The South Africa’s (SA) opposition party Democratic Alliance (DA) says the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) must be held accountable for not determining the full extent of former President Jacob Zuma’s visit to India.

The comments follow Wednesday’s media briefing by International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola, where he announced the development of a new framework for protocol assistance to former presidents and deputy presidents.

DA Member of Parliament and spokesperson on International Relations Ryan Smith said that while the incident does not damage South Africa’s international credibility, it should concern SA citizens that Zuma met with someone implicated in State Capture.

Smith says, “I don’t necessarily think it damages our credibility internationally. However, in light of the nine wasted years and the findings of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, which implicated and leveled several allegations, or rafted allegations, rather, against the Gupta family and their relationship with Jacob Zuma, which allegedly facilitated trillions of rands in corruption, it really does not sit and should not sit well with South Africans to know that Jacob Zuma, who’s now the leader of a party, uMkhonto We Sizwe party in South Africa, is still meeting with the Guptas.”

–SABC–