Zuma’s daughter faces probe for recruiting mercenaries for Russia in Ukraine

South African authorities have opened an investigation into Duduzile Zuma‑Sambudla, the daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, over alleged involvement in recruiting South African nationals to fight for Russia in Ukraine. The probe began after her half‑sister, Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma‑Mncube, filed a complaint requesting that officials examine the matter.

The investigation comes amid reports that 17 South African men are currently in Ukraine, reportedly serving as mercenaries for Russia in the Donbass region. In early November, these men sent distress calls seeking evacuation, but the circumstances of their recruitment and deployment remain unclear.

Zuma‑Sambudla, a member of the South African parliament representing her father’s Umkhonto we Sizwe party, is already facing charges of incitement to cause terrorism. Her trial started on 10 November, with prosecutors alleging that she encouraged public violence through social‑media posts made before and during the July 2021 riots that swept the country. The unrest, which left more than 350 people dead, was the deadliest since the end of apartheid in 1994 and was sparked by Jacob Zuma’s imprisonment after he defied a court order to testify at a corruption inquiry into his 2009‑2018 presidency.

The current probe into Zuma‑Sambudla’s alleged role in recruiting mercenaries is a significant development given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and its potential implications for South Africa’s foreign policy. As the investigation proceeds, authorities will seek to establish the facts surrounding the recruitment and deployment of the South African men and any connections to Zuma‑Sambudla or other individuals. The outcome is likely to have considerable domestic and international repercussions.