South African authorities have launched an investigation into allegations that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, played a role in recruiting South African men to fight as mercenaries for Russia in the ongoing Ukraine war.
Police confirmed on Sunday that the claims stem from an affidavit submitted by one of Zuma-Sambudla’s sisters, who formally requested a probe into the alleged recruitment network. According to the affidavit, Zuma-Sambudla and two other individuals are accused of facilitating the recruitment of 17 South Africans who were later reported stranded in Ukraine’s war-torn Donbas region.
The South African presidency disclosed earlier this month that it had been contacted to help rescue the group after they allegedly found themselves trapped in the conflict zone. According to the complaint, the men were deceived with false promises and transported to Russia, where they were allegedly handed over to a Russian mercenary organisation and deployed to fight without their prior knowledge or consent.
A police statement said the case has now been transferred to a specialised national security investigations unit responsible for probing crimes against the state. Authorities will determine whether the allegations warrant criminal charges under South Africa’s anti-mercenary and national security laws.
Zuma-Sambudla, a prominent figure in her father’s MK Party, has not yet issued a formal response. The investigation is expected to draw significant political attention given the family’s influence and South Africa’s sensitive diplomatic relations with both Russia and Ukraine.
