Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has resigned from Parliament amidst allegations that she recruited 17 South African men to fight for Russian forces in Ukraine. Her resignation, effective immediately, was announced on November 28, 2025, while she served as a representative for the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) opposition party, led by her father. MK officials described her departure as voluntary and clarified that the party did not facilitate the men’s recruitment. Nathi Nhleko, MK’s national organizer, asserted that her resignation should not imply guilt, and the party is ready to support the families affected by this situation.
The allegations originated when Zuma-Sambudla’s half-sister, Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube, filed a police report accusing her and two others of misleading the men into traveling to Russia on the pretext of security training. The men, aged between 20 and 39, were reportedly promised lucrative job contracts but found themselves engaged in combat in Ukraine’s Donbas region, with eight of them being connected to the Zuma family.
South African authorities are cooperating with international law enforcement agencies to facilitate the return of these men, who have issued distress calls seeking help. The MK Party remains committed to assisting the families in their attempts to retrieve their loved ones safely.
In addition to these allegations, Zuma-Sambudla faces separate charges for inciting violence during the 2021 anti-government riots in South Africa, to which she has pleaded not guilty. This situation highlights growing concerns about foreign recruitment related to the ongoing Ukraine conflict, prompting authorities to advise citizens to remain vigilant against such recruitment endeavors.
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