One of former South African President Jacob Zuma’s daughters, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, has filed a criminal complaint against her sister, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, accusing her of recruiting South African men to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.
According to Zuma-Mncube, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, who is also a Member of Parliament, along with two others, tricked 17 men into joining Russian mercenary forces. The men were allegedly told they were travelling to Russia to train as bodyguards for Jacob Zuma’s political party, Mkhonto Wesizwe (MK).
The South African police confirmed that the matter is under investigation, while Zuma-Sambudla, aged 43, has not responded to requests for comment from the BBC.
Earlier, South Africa’s government stated that it had received distress calls from 17 citizens who had joined mercenary forces in the conflict. The men, aged 20 to 39, were reportedly lured with promises of lucrative contracts. Analysts note that high youth unemployment, which exceeds 30% nationally, leaves young people particularly vulnerable to such recruitment.
Zuma-Mncube said she felt a “moral obligation” to report her sister to the authorities.
International media, including Bloomberg, have reported similar allegations, noting that some recruits may also have been drawn from neighbouring Botswana.
The accusations add to Zuma-Sambudla’s ongoing legal challenges. She is currently on trial over terrorism-related charges linked to social media comments made during deadly protests in South Africa in July 2021, following her father’s arrest. The unrest, which involved looting and arson across multiple provinces, left at least 300 people dead. Zuma-Sambudla denies wrongdoing, insisting the charges are politically motivated.
Jacob Zuma was jailed for contempt of court after refusing to participate in a corruption inquiry tied to his presidency. He subsequently formed the MK party, which secured third place in last year’s elections.
The BBC has reached out to both MK and the Jacob Zuma Foundation for comment.
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