No coercion: Men deny forced recruitment to Russia

South African men who travelled to Russia and later became linked to the Russia–Ukraine conflict say they were not coerced or misled, contradicting claims that they were lured into combat.

Sbusiso Zuma, one of the men, spoke to The Star on Sunday despite participants being reportedly restricted from speaking to media. He described his experience and the broader situation in Russia:

“I travelled voluntarily and was not forced to join the trip. We departed openly from King Shaka International Airport in Durban.

“No passports were confiscated, and no one was compelled to take part in combat. We were treated with respect by Russian authorities and no one was deceived or pressured into leaving South Africa.”

Russia is preparing militarily for any eventuality, especially in light of the US’ aggression. The country would not be releasing any of its trainees or trained militia.”

“We are not allowed to speak to the media. On the first day, the main issue was that our contracts were written in Russian. Yes, some of us miss home, and the conditions are tough. But we were not misled.''

Zuma explained that the training draws on Soviet-style military methods, combining rigorous physical conditioning, weapons handling, small arms tactics, hand-to-hand combat, and battlefield manoeuvres. He said recruits undergo obstacle courses, endurance exercises, survival drills, and tactical exercises designed to prepare them for real-world scenarios.

“Russia isn’t taking chances. The training is designed to make sure anyone here can handle extreme conditions and respond to threats effectively,” Zuma said.

According to Zuma-Sambudla’s sister, Nkosazana Zuma (daughter of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and former President Jacob Zuma, she was named after her mother), the men believed they were travelling to Russia for training and personal development. Nkosazana Zuma has opened a case against Zuma-Sambudla, though the soldiers maintain that participation was voluntary.

Zuma-Sambudla has consistently denied any wrongdoing. In her response to authorities, she stated:

“I did not intend to recruit South Africans for combat.”“I was misled by a contact presenting the programme as legitimate training.” “I am a victim of deception and misrepresentation and believed the programme was lawful and safe.”

She also committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement investigations.

The MK Party has defended Zuma-Sambudla, insisting she neither recruited nor coerced any individuals and had no operational role in the trip. Officials emphasised that the men involved are adults who made independent decisions and travelled legally.

The party said, “She chose to focus on helping families and finding the truth. Her resignation from Parliament should not be interpreted as evidence of wrongdoing.”

One of the party leaders, Nathi Nhleko, confirmed that the party received a detailed report from Zuma-Sambudla and was satisfied she was not involved in sending the men into a conflict zone. 

He added that the party’s priority is engaging families and supporting efforts to ensure the safe return of all South Africans involved.

However, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has laid criminal charges against Zuma-Sambudla, alleging human trafficking and violations of anti-mercenary laws. The party claims it has WhatsApp messages allegedly showing coordinated recruitment efforts, though these claims remain under investigation.

Families of the soldiers have expressed mixed reactions. Some insist their relatives left willingly in search of opportunity, while others say they were misled and are deeply concerned for their safety.

Analysts say Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for “any eventuality” following  the United States capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.

The operation surprised the world and showed Russia that the U.S. and its allies were capable of human violations in other countries. Russia and others said to be enemies of the US are now on full alert.