Zuma’s Middle‑Finger Moment: Meeting a Gupta Brother Sparks Shock

Sun Sep 06 2026 08:59:15 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Former South African president Zuma made headlines by meeting a Gupta brother in India, sparking outrage over state capture allegations.

Former President Jacob Zuma was photographed meeting a Gupta brother, a key figure in South Africa’s 2010‑19 state‑capture scandal, inside an Indian temple. The photograph re‑ignited anger among South Africans who feel the country’s riches were siphoned off by the Gupta family. Cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni slammed the meeting, calling it a ‘middle finger’ to taxpayers and a disgrace. Zuma, who now heads the uMkhonto weSizwe party, reportedly pledged to run again in the next elections, prompting calls for a probe and questions of a parallel foreign policy. The incident underscores deep political fractures and the lingering impact of corruption on the nation’s future.

Picture that last week shook South Africa: former President Jacob Zuma was photographed standing with Ajay Gupta, one of the Gupta brothers at the center of the country’s 2010‑19 state‑capture scandal, within a temple in India.

The photo, shared by Indian media, reignited a fury that still haunts South Africans—many believe that their country’s wealth was siphoned off through the Gupta family’s shadow connections with Zuma and his inner circle.

Cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni blasted the meeting, calling it a “middle finger” to South African taxpayers and a disgrace to the nation’s democratic process. She added that it was “unacceptable” for the high commissioner to India to accompany Zuma.

Despite the backlash, Zuma, now leading the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, told reporters he wants to stand for re‑election. The move has spurred an investigation and sparked fears of a “parallel foreign policy” and continued corruption influence.

The story, captured by the BBC, reminds a new generation that political betrayals and corruption scandals can have lasting impacts on a nation’s future—and that the fight for accountability never truly ends.