Daughter of ex-South African leader Zuma is accused of luring men to fight in Russia-Ukraine war

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma, left, shares a light moment outside High Court during her trial for terrorism linked to the July 2021 riots in Durban, South Africa, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo)

JOHANNESBURG — South African police say they are investigating allegations that former President Jacob Zuma ‘s daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla lured 17 men who are now trapped in Russia into fighting in that country’s war with Ukraine without their consent.

According to police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, an affidavit filed by Zuma-Sambudla’s sister Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube alleges that Zuma-Sambudla and two other people lured the men by claiming they would receive security training in Russia. Details about the two others were not immediately clear.

The affidavit alleges they were handed over to a Russian mercenary group and forced to fight in the war. It also says eight of the 17 men were members of the sisters’ family.

Mathe said Sunday that any police charges “are still to be determined through a thorough investigation.”

South Africa’s foreign minister, Ronald Lamola, told reporters on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg over the weekend that diplomatic efforts were underway with Russia and Ukraine to repatriate the men.

“The police must investigate and whoever is involved in this must be arrested,” Lamola said, adding: “It is not an easy situation because they are in the front lines of this battle, but we are hopeful that there will be breakthroughs.”

South Africa’s government earlier this month said it had received distress calls from the men, aged 20 to 39, who said they were trapped in Ukraine’s war-torn eastern Donbas region.

The men had joined mercenary forces under the pretext of lucrative employment contracts, the government said.

Russia has been accused of recruiting men from other countries to fight in the war under the pretext of offering them jobs. It has also been accused of tricking women from South Africa and other African countries into working in Russian drone factories through social media campaigns promising them jobs in fields like catering and hospitality.

Under South African law, it is illegal for citizens and entities to offer or provide military assistance to foreign governments or participate in armies of foreign governments unless authorized by South Africa’s government.

Zuma-Sambudla is a member of parliament for the MK Party, which her father founded in 2023 after he was expelled from the ruling African National Congress, which he led from 2007 to 2017.

She is currently on trial for unrelated charges around the deadly riots in South Africa in 2021. She is accused of fueling them with social media posts.

Zuma-Sambudla and the MK Party did not respond to a request for comment.

Mogomotsi Magome, The Associated Press