Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has resigned from her position as a Member of Parliament following allegations that she lured 17 South African men to fight as mercenaries in Ukraine on behalf of Russia.
Police last week confirmed an investigation into claims that Zuma-Sambudla, an MP with her father’s Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, allegedly deceived the men into travelling to Russia “without their knowledge or consent” to participate in the Ukrainian conflict.
Earlier in November, the presidency said it had been asked to assist in bringing home the 17 men, who were reportedly “trapped” in Donbas after being recruited under the guise of lucrative employment contracts.
“Comrade Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has tendered her resignation from the National Assembly and all public representative responsibilities with immediate effect,” MK party national chairperson Nkosinathi Nhleko announced at a press briefing in Durban.
Another party official, Magasela Mzobe, clarified that the resignation “is not an admission of guilt nor a finding of wrongdoing by the party,” adding, “Umkhonto we Sizwe as a party is not involved in the Russia-Ukraine matter affecting these young people.”
The party confirmed that Zuma-Sambudla had submitted a formal affidavit responding to the allegations. The accusations were reportedly made by one of her half-sisters, who requested a formal investigation. Police have referred the case to a special unit responsible for crimes against the state to determine potential charges.
Local media reports suggest the men were allegedly sent to Russia for security training coordinated by the opposition MK party, which is led by Jacob Zuma. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, triggered by Russia’s 2022 invasion, has drawn mercenaries from multiple African nations.
Zuma-Sambudla is also facing separate charges for allegedly inciting the 2021 riots in South Africa that claimed more than 350 lives, to which she has pleaded not guilty.
Her father, Jacob Zuma, was sentenced to 15 months in jail in 2021 for contempt of court after refusing to testify before a panel investigating corruption and cronyism during his presidency. He served two months before being released for health reasons, and his sentence was later commuted by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
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