Summary
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has resigned from the National Assembly following allegations that she played a role in facilitating the recruitment of South African men to join Russian mercenary forces in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Her political party, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), disclosed this development on Friday, though it denied that her resignation was an admission of wrongdoing.
The controversy intensified last week after police confirmed they were examining claims that Zuma-Sambudla had allegedly enticed 17 South African men to Russia “to fight in the Ukrainian war without their knowledge or consent.” According to the Presidency, concerns were raised earlier in November after officials were alerted that the men were “trapped” in the Donbas region, having reportedly travelled under the guise of promising job offers.
At a press briefing in Durban, MK party national chairperson Nkosinathi Nhleko announced her exit from parliament and public office, stressing that the decision was immediate. Another senior party member, Magasela Mzobe, insisted that her resignation “has got nothing to do with admission of guilt” or any internal finding against her. He added that the MK party rejects any suggestion that it is involved in activities related to the Russia–Ukraine conflict or the alleged recruitment scheme.
The party confirmed that Zuma-Sambudla had already responded to the allegations in a sworn affidavit submitted to the police. The accusations originated from one of her half-sisters, who filed an affidavit calling for a formal investigation into the matter. Police later confirmed that the case had been forwarded to a specialised unit responsible for probing threats against the state, where officials will determine the appropriate legal steps.
South African media reports have suggested that the men were allegedly transported to Russia for military-style security training facilitated by the opposition MK party, led by Jacob Zuma, who governed South Africa between 2009 and 2018. The ongoing war in Ukraine, triggered by Russia’s invasion in 2022, has drawn fighters from different parts of the world, including African nations, with both sides seeing an influx of mercenary participation.
Beyond the latest accusations, Zuma-Sambudla is already facing a separate criminal trial for allegedly inciting the violent riots of 2021, which left more than 350 people dead. She has pleaded not guilty to those charges. Her father, Jacob Zuma, had also faced legal trouble in recent years after being sentenced to 15 months in prison for refusing to appear before a commission investigating corruption and patronage linked to his presidency. He ultimately served two months before being released on medical grounds, and the remainder of his sentence was later remitted by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
What you should know
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s resignation comes at a time when she faces serious allegations tied to the recruitment of South African men for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, a claim her party strongly denies.
While authorities continue investigating the circumstances surrounding these men allegedly stranded in Donbas, Zuma-Sambudla is concurrently dealing with an unrelated court case linked to the 2021 unrest.
Her departure from parliament adds new political weight to an already complex legal and public landscape involving both her and her father.
