The Zumas: Nkosazana lays charges against sister Duduzile over South Africans stranded in Ukraine
A serious rift has erupted inside the Zuma family after Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube opened a criminal case against 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.
In a statement circulating online, Zuma-Mncube said she approached the Sandton police station on Saturday to lay charges against three individuals – Zuma-Sambudla, Siphokazi Zuma, and Blessing Khoza.
Zuma-Mncube alleges the trio played key roles in luring the South African men to Russia under false pretences, where they were allegedly handed over to a mercenary outfit operating in Ukraine.
Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube is the eldest daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma and prominent politician, former Cabinet minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Zuma-Mncube said eight of the 17 men are her own relatives and insisted they never consented to being deployed to a war zone. She claims their recruitment contravenes 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.
Neither Zuma-Sambudla nor the MK party has issued a response to the criminal complaint.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
IOL News