South African police say they have opened an investigation into Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, following allegations that she helped recruit South Africans to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine. The complaint was filed by her half-sister, Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube, who asked authorities to determine whether Zuma-Sambudla played any role in sending South African men to the frontlines. Seventeen South African nationals now stranded in the Donbas region issued distress calls in early November, pleading for evacuation. Their families say the men were lured with promises of high-paying security jobs, only to find themselves deployed as fighters.
Zuma-Sambudla is already embroiled in a separate, high-profile legal case. On November 10, she appeared in court for her ongoing trial on charges of incitement to commit terrorism. Prosecutors accuse her of using social media to fuel the deadly July 2021 unrest, which left more than 350 people dead and caused extensive economic damage across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces. The riots erupted after former President Jacob Zuma was jailed for contempt of court for refusing to testify at the state capture inquiry — a sweeping investigation into corruption during his presidency from 2009 to 2018. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether there is evidence linking Zuma-Sambudla to the alleged mercenary recruitment network, but police say the matter is under formal investigation.
