🔗 Share this article ‘Utterly Wicked’: Anguish and Fury as South Africans Allegedly Deceived into Fighting for Russian Forces One parent has not heard from her son since late August. Their final conversation, he expressed fear that he was being sent to the battle lines of the ongoing conflict between Russia and its neighbor. Since that day, she has been gravely ill with anxiety. “My health is truly suffering,” she said, exhaustion evident in her voice. “I suffer panic attacks, I’m in and out of hospital, palpitations. It's overwhelming. Headaches, I’m dizzy all the time. It is an immense struggle.” Her son was among a contingent of 17 South African and two citizens of Botswana men who, as stated in multiple lawsuits, were deceptively recruited for serving with Russia. The purported operation is connected with a family member of former South African president Jacob Zuma. A Startling Allegation Allegations about Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's role began to emerge recently after the South African government announced it was trying to help nationals stranded in Ukraine. Then, in a bombshell intervention, a different family member, filed a police report claiming that several individuals had misled the men. This claim rippled through the nation, where the wider scandal has highlighted the severe financial hardship facing many of its young people. Statistics show a substantial percentage of young adults are unemployed and not studying. These individuals are thought to remain caught in a conflict they never agreed to join, while their relatives thousands of miles away dread for their lives. The Initial Contact Mary, whose name has been changed, said she and her son were connected with Zuma-Sambudla via a family connection when her son was still a child. She stated that an offer was presented in the middle of the year with what was presented as an exciting opportunity in the foreign country. Some of the men were allegedly told they would be instructed to become security personnel for a faction led by Jacob Zuma. The remainder were given the impression they could enrol on a self-improvement course, after which they could attend a Russian university and even obtain foreign nationality. Initial wariness eventually gave way to agreement. “I remember asking for written agreements for the school and it was handled with great urgency,” the mother said. “They insisted: ‘They must leave, they need to go urgently.’” Political Connections Zuma-Sambudla, has long been a fierce defender of her father, who holds significant sway nationally. Longstanding relations between South African political structures and Russia date back decades. The former president has been a leading figure in pushing for stronger alliances with countries often at odds with Western powers. The accused has also publicly expressed her backing for Russia. On social media, she has shared posts aligning herself with the leadership in Moscow. Separately, she is currently on trial on accusations of terrorism and inciting violence related to social media activity during past unrest. She denies those charges. From Airport to Battlefield The group reportedly met at a major international airport in early July before flying to Moscow. Messages from online forums dated July and August apparently indicate the group's concerns. In the following weeks, the men started demanding answers from their recruiters, stating they were being split up. A communication explicitly stated: “We are with a paramilitary organization, in Ukraine. This is not Russia.” Towards the month's end, the son called his mother to say he was being pressured to agree to terms in a language he did not understand. An agreement associated with another member of the group appears to be a contract with a specific military unit that has been involved in the hostilities since its outset. Official Actions and Family Despair In early November, the national leadership said it had been contacted by the men and was working to secure their return. The government noted that recruiting for external armed forces without official permission is against the law. The political rift between the two political figures adds a layer of complication to the situation. At first, the group numbered 20 South Africans, but three were allowed to come back. A subsequent conversation between the accused and relatives of the men allegedly provided no answers. Shortly after, the police report was filed by another family member, claiming her half-sister and others of luring the men “based on deception” and handing them to a foreign fighting force. Reacting to this, Zuma-Sambudla submitted a statement asserting she had been deceived by another recruiter into believing it was a legitimate program. “Under no circumstances would I knowingly expose my own family to harm,” she said in excerpts of her statement. She subsequently resigned from her elected role. Other individuals could not be reached for a statement. An official representative said there was no new information on efforts to repatriate the men. Diplomatic missions did not reply to requests for comment. A Wider Pattern Reports suggest that hundreds of citizens from African countries are fighting alongside Moscow's military in Ukraine, leading to appeals for nations to warn their citizens about these activities. In a separate case, several other South Africans among them a public figure recently appeared in court on similar allegations relating to involvement for Russia. Throughout this ordeal, the mother continues to be consumed by fear and full of confusion and rage. “For someone to take a child … That constitutes sheer wickedness,” she said. “She kept assuring them that they would not see combat and she betrayed them like that. What kind of person does that?”
One parent has not heard from her son since late August. Their final conversation, he expressed fear that he was being sent to the battle lines of the ongoing conflict between Russia and its neighbor. Since that day, she has been gravely ill with anxiety. “My health is truly suffering,” she said, exhaustion evident in her voice. “I suffer panic attacks, I’m in and out of hospital, palpitations. It's overwhelming. Headaches, I’m dizzy all the time. It is an immense struggle.” Her son was among a contingent of 17 South African and two citizens of Botswana men who, as stated in multiple lawsuits, were deceptively recruited for serving with Russia. The purported operation is connected with a family member of former South African president Jacob Zuma. A Startling Allegation Allegations about Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's role began to emerge recently after the South African government announced it was trying to help nationals stranded in Ukraine. Then, in a bombshell intervention, a different family member, filed a police report claiming that several individuals had misled the men. This claim rippled through the nation, where the wider scandal has highlighted the severe financial hardship facing many of its young people. Statistics show a substantial percentage of young adults are unemployed and not studying. These individuals are thought to remain caught in a conflict they never agreed to join, while their relatives thousands of miles away dread for their lives. The Initial Contact Mary, whose name has been changed, said she and her son were connected with Zuma-Sambudla via a family connection when her son was still a child. She stated that an offer was presented in the middle of the year with what was presented as an exciting opportunity in the foreign country. Some of the men were allegedly told they would be instructed to become security personnel for a faction led by Jacob Zuma. The remainder were given the impression they could enrol on a self-improvement course, after which they could attend a Russian university and even obtain foreign nationality. Initial wariness eventually gave way to agreement. “I remember asking for written agreements for the school and it was handled with great urgency,” the mother said. “They insisted: ‘They must leave, they need to go urgently.’” Political Connections Zuma-Sambudla, has long been a fierce defender of her father, who holds significant sway nationally. Longstanding relations between South African political structures and Russia date back decades. The former president has been a leading figure in pushing for stronger alliances with countries often at odds with Western powers. The accused has also publicly expressed her backing for Russia. On social media, she has shared posts aligning herself with the leadership in Moscow. Separately, she is currently on trial on accusations of terrorism and inciting violence related to social media activity during past unrest. She denies those charges. From Airport to Battlefield The group reportedly met at a major international airport in early July before flying to Moscow. Messages from online forums dated July and August apparently indicate the group's concerns. In the following weeks, the men started demanding answers from their recruiters, stating they were being split up. A communication explicitly stated: “We are with a paramilitary organization, in Ukraine. This is not Russia.” Towards the month's end, the son called his mother to say he was being pressured to agree to terms in a language he did not understand. An agreement associated with another member of the group appears to be a contract with a specific military unit that has been involved in the hostilities since its outset. Official Actions and Family Despair In early November, the national leadership said it had been contacted by the men and was working to secure their return. The government noted that recruiting for external armed forces without official permission is against the law. The political rift between the two political figures adds a layer of complication to the situation. At first, the group numbered 20 South Africans, but three were allowed to come back. A subsequent conversation between the accused and relatives of the men allegedly provided no answers. Shortly after, the police report was filed by another family member, claiming her half-sister and others of luring the men “based on deception” and handing them to a foreign fighting force. Reacting to this, Zuma-Sambudla submitted a statement asserting she had been deceived by another recruiter into believing it was a legitimate program. “Under no circumstances would I knowingly expose my own family to harm,” she said in excerpts of her statement. She subsequently resigned from her elected role. Other individuals could not be reached for a statement. An official representative said there was no new information on efforts to repatriate the men. Diplomatic missions did not reply to requests for comment. A Wider Pattern Reports suggest that hundreds of citizens from African countries are fighting alongside Moscow's military in Ukraine, leading to appeals for nations to warn their citizens about these activities. In a separate case, several other South Africans among them a public figure recently appeared in court on similar allegations relating to involvement for Russia. Throughout this ordeal, the mother continues to be consumed by fear and full of confusion and rage. “For someone to take a child … That constitutes sheer wickedness,” she said. “She kept assuring them that they would not see combat and she betrayed them like that. What kind of person does that?”