Political Scandal Rocks South Africa as Zuma's Daughter Resigns
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma, has voluntarily resigned from her position as a Member of Parliament amid serious allegations that she recruited 17 South African men to fight for Russia in Ukraine under false pretences.
The 43-year-old politician, considered the most politically active of Zuma's children, stepped back from all public roles while cooperating with a police investigation and working to secure the men's return from war-torn Ukraine.
Recruitment Claims and Family Conflict
The scandal erupted when Zuma-Sambudla's own sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, filed a police report on 22 November alleging that her sibling had recruited the men alongside two accomplices - Siphokazi Xuma and Blessing Khoza. Among those recruited were eight family members, though no clear motive was provided in the police statement.
According to the allegations, the men were deceived into believing they were travelling to Russia for paramilitary training to serve as bodyguards for the uMkohnto weSizwe (MK) party, founded by Jacob Zuma in December 2023. Instead, they found themselves trapped on the frontlines of the Ukraine conflict.
In a dramatic twist, Zuma-Sambudla filed her own affidavit claiming she was "a victim of deception, misrepresentation and manipulation" by co-accused Blessing Khoza. She maintained she believed the training programme was legitimate, having attended a month of non-combat training in Russia herself.
Contradictory Evidence Emerges
South African news outlet News24 obtained videos from three of the trapped men that contradict Zuma-Sambudla's version of events. The men alleged she persuaded them to sign contracts written in Russian that they couldn't understand and promised she would spend a year training alongside them in Russia.
Zuma-Sambudla defended herself in police statements published by local media, saying: "I experienced only non-combat, controlled activities. I was never exposed to combat, never deployed." She claimed she had "shared information innocently" and would never knowingly endanger anyone.
MK party officials were quick to distance the organisation from the scandal. Chair Nkosinathi Nhleko announced the resignation at a Durban press conference, while another official, Magasela Mzobe, emphasised that the resignation wasn't an admission of guilt and the party had no involvement with the trapped men.
Broader Political Implications
The scandal touches upon South Africa's complicated relationship with Russia. Zuma-Sambudla has repeatedly expressed public support for Russia and President Vladimir Putin on social media, posting "I Stand With Russia" as recently as May and celebrating the Russian leader alongside her father.
This reflects the African National Congress's historical ties with Russia, dating back to Soviet support during the anti-apartheid struggle. The current South African government, though now in a coalition, has maintained a neutral stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
South African police confirmed on Tuesday that they have opened an investigation based on both affidavits. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa's office acknowledged receiving "distress calls for assistance" from the trapped men and is working to repatriate them.
The presidency noted that South Africans are prohibited from joining foreign militaries without government authorisation, describing how the men were "lured to join mercenary forces under the pretext of lucrative employment contracts."
This isn't Zuma-Sambudla's first legal trouble - she's currently on trial for inciting violence through social media posts during the 2021 riots that followed her father's imprisonment for contempt of court.
The resignation marks another dramatic chapter for the Zuma political dynasty, coming just months after Jacob Zuma's new MK party secured 14.6% of the vote in the 2024 national elections, despite his 2018 ousting as president amid corruption allegations he continues to deny.
