DURBAN – Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has resigned as a Member of Parliament, the MK Party revealed at a media briefing in Durban on this morning, as criminal charges mount against the daughter of former president Jacob Zuma over her alleged role in trafficking South African men to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The resignation comes just a day after the Democratic Alliance (DA) formally laid criminal charges against Zuma-Sambudla under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, backed by approximately 100 WhatsApp messages that allegedly show her coordinating the recruitment of at least 22 young South African men to Russia.
Zuma-Sambudla is currently fighting on multiple legal fronts. She is facing trial in the Durban High Court over the July 2021 unrest, with charges including terrorism and inciting violence related to the riots that claimed over 350 lives and caused R50 billion in economic damage. She has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
The newer allegations centre on her alleged role in luring South African men to Russia under false pretences. According to the DA’s evidence, the men were promised personal development opportunities, security training, and even foreign citizenship. It is alleged that the men were recruited for what they believed was bodyguard training linked to the MK Party.
The WhatsApp evidence allegedly reveals that their passports and clothing were burned, phones were confiscated, and communication with families was gradually cut off.
Families have provided consistent testimonies confirming the pattern of deception. One mother said her son was “excited for a new life” and believed he would return with foreign citizenship, only to find himself trapped in a warzone.
Zuma-Sambudla has denied all allegations against her regarding the trafficking charges. However, the DA has criticised what it calls dangerous government silence on the matter, stating that Defence Intelligence and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation remained publicly silent despite indications that both the Presidency and former President Zuma were aware of the situation.
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