Duduzile Zuma, daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, is currently the subject of an international scandal and an official investigation over allegations she was involved in a scheme to recruit South African and Batswana men to fight for Russia in the war against Ukraine.
Reports, including a Bloomberg investigation based on WhatsApp messages and interviews with families, suggest approximately 20 young men were lured to Russia in July 2025 under false pretenses.
The men were allegedly promised “bodyguard training” for Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
Upon arrival in Russia, they were reportedly forced to sign military contracts written entirely in Russian and were subsequently deployed to the front lines in Ukraine.
WhatsApp messages show Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, who was an administrator of a group chat for the men and their families, reassuring them they would not see combat, saying they would only “patrol or be put on cooking duties or gun cleaning”.
Relatives say they have lost contact with some of the men since August, and fear for their safety given the harsh conditions and the reality of the war zone.
The South African government has launched a formal investigation into the matter, as recruiting citizens as mercenaries for a foreign war is a crime under South African law.
Former President Jacob Zuma reportedly wrote a letter to the Russian Defence Ministry asking for the South Africans to be removed from combat zones due to the deception.
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has not publicly commented on the recent specific allegations, but she has previously expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin on social media and has been linked to pro-Russia social media campaigns.
