Zuma family fallout escalates as SAPS confirms affidavit on Ukraine war claims
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla with her father, former president Jacob Zuma, who is now MK party leader.
Image: Independent Media Archives
The South African Police Service has confirmed that Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube has formally deposed an affidavit at the Sandton police station, requesting an investigation into her sister, Member of Parliament Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, over the recruitment of 17 South African men who are now trapped in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Police national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said an enquiry docket has been registered, with charges still to be determined through a thorough investigation. She added that the matter will be handled at provincial level.
"Ms Mncube claims the men were lured to Russia under false pretences and handed to a Russian mercenary group to fight in the Ukrainian war without their knowledge or consent. The SAPS confirms that an enquiry docket has been registered since the charges are still to be determined through a thorough investigation," said Mathe.
This comes after Zuma-Mncube — the eldest daughter of former president Jacob Zuma and former Cabinet minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma — publicly accused her sister, Zuma-Sambudla, along with Siphokazi Xuma and Blessing Khoza of playing key roles in luring the group of young South African men to Russia under false pretences.
In the criminal complaint, Zuma-Mncube alleges that eight of the 17 men are her own relatives and that none of them consented to being deployed to a war zone.
She further claimed the alleged recruitment violated the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act and common-law fraud.
The dramatic move comes as the government investigates how the group ended up in the conflict.
Earlier this month, IOL reported that the South African government says it has received distress calls from 17 South African men who are trapped in the war-torn Donbas region of Ukraine after being lured to join mercenary forces under the pretext of lucrative employment contracts.
The men, aged between 20 and 39, have appealed for assistance to return home. Sixteen of them are from KwaZulu-Natal and one from the Eastern Cape.
At the time, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the men were drawn into the Russia-Ukraine conflict after being misled by promises of well-paying jobs.
South African government officials confirmed receiving distress calls from the stranded men, who said they travelled abroad after being promised job or training opportunities.
International media reports have previously linked Zuma-Sambudla to efforts to recruit young South Africans for what was allegedly presented as security training in Russia — claims she has not publicly responded to.
The men reportedly signed documents they did not fully understand before being moved to eastern Ukraine.
Zuma-Mncube said she felt compelled to act out of “moral obligation” and urged the South African government to intervene urgently to secure the men’s safe return. She also warned the public to be cautious of overseas offers that appear “too good to be true”, particularly when linked to conflict regions.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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