Family Rift Explodes as Zuma Daughter Accused of Trafficking South African Men to Russia

The daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma is at the center of an international scandal and a bitter family feud after being accused of luring at least 17 men—including eight family members—into fighting for Russia in Ukraine under false pretenses, leading to her resignation from parliament.

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a prominent daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, has resigned from her seat in South Africa's parliament amid explosive allegations that she helped traffic fellow citizens to the front lines of the war in Ukraine.

The scandal, which has triggered a police investigation and exposed deep divisions within one of the country's most famous political families, began when Zuma-Sambudla's half-sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, filed a formal criminal complaint against her.

The Alleged Scheme: From Job Training to the Trenches

According to the complaint and accounts from families, at least 17 South African men were recruited with promises of legitimate security training and future employment. They were told they would receive "yearlong security training" in Russia before returning to South Africa for jobs, including as bodyguards for the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) opposition party led by Zuma-Sambudla's father.

The reality was tragically different. Upon arrival in Russia, the men allege their passports were confiscated, their clothes burned, and their phones taken away. They were then forced to sign military contracts written in Russian, which they could not understand. Instead of training, they were issued military fatigues and rifles and deployed to the war-torn Donbas region of Ukraine.

In desperate voice notes shared with media, one trapped man described being near the front line, subjected to drone attacks, and living in constant fear. "Things you see in the movies, we're seeing it live," he said.

A Family Feud and a Political Resignation

The complaint from Zuma-Mncube alleges that Zuma-Sambudla, along with two other individuals, was directly involved in this deception. "Among these 17 men... are eight of my family members," Zuma-Mncube stated in her police affidavit.

Facing mounting pressure, Zuma-Sambudla resigned from parliament on November 29. Her party, MK, stated the resignation would allow her to focus on helping to bring the men home and was not an admission of guilt.

In her own affidavit to police, Zuma-Sambudla claimed she was also a "victim of deception". She stated that a man named Blessing Khoza contacted her on WhatsApp about a legitimate paramilitary training program. After attending a non-combat training course herself, she "shared information innocently" with others, including family members, who then volunteered to go.

Broader Context: Russia's Hunt for Foreign Fighters

This case is not isolated. Experts say it highlights a systematic Russian effort to recruit foreigners to bolster its forces in Ukraine, which has suffered massive casualties.

*   Wide Scale: Ukrainian officials state that over 18,000 foreigners from 128 countries have fought for Russia. Kyiv's foreign minister says more than 1,400 citizens from 36 African countries are currently fighting for Russia.

*   Deceptive Tactics: Recruits from countries like Kenya, Nepal, and Sri Lanka report being lured with fake offers for construction, driving, or security jobs. Once in Russia, they are coerced into signing military contracts.

*   Parallel Cases in South Africa: In a separate incident, a South African radio host was arrested last week and charged with recruiting four men to fight for Russia, indicating potentially wider recruitment networks.

South African law strictly prohibits citizens from rendering foreign military assistance without government consent. The country's elite police unit, the Hawks, is now investigating the allegations against Zuma-Sambudla for potential crimes including human trafficking, illegal recruitment, exploitation, and fraud.

The South African government has stated it is working through diplomatic channels to repatriate its trapped citizens. For their families, the wait is agonizing. As the brother of one trapped man told the BBC, "The family is concerned about his life... We all just want to come home".