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2mo ago

Hawks Probe Zuma-Sambudla as DA Moves to Lay Charges Over South Africans Sent to Ukraine

The Hawks are testing allegations of trafficking linked to 17 men allegedly lured to Russia for training then sent to the Donbas.

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Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla at Durban High Court on 10 November 2025 in Durban. Picture: Gallo Images/Darren Stewart
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of Jacob Zuma and a member of Parliament and MK Party, arrives listen to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa hold his speech at the temporary Parliament in City Hall on July 18, 2024, in Cape Town, South Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa called the joint sitting of the National Assembly (NA) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), marking the official opening of South Africa's Parliament's seventh term, to coincide with Nelson Mandela International Day. In the May 29 vote, the ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994, leading to a coalition government. (Photo by Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)

Overview

  • South Africa’s Hawks confirmed a joint inquiry into a complaint by Nkosazana Zuma‑Mncube and a counter‑complaint by Duduzile Zuma‑Sambudla, with potential offenses under review and the docket to go to the NPA once evidence gathering concludes.
  • The Democratic Alliance says it will lay criminal charges against Zuma‑Sambudla and is pressing for urgent parliamentary briefings from defence and international relations committees.
  • Families and recruits describe promises of VIP protection training and high‑paying jobs, contracts presented only in Russian, and rapid transfer toward the front, with some reports putting the group at 17 and others at 19.
  • Zuma‑Sambudla denies wrongdoing, has opened a case against alleged intermediaries Siphokazi Xuma and Blessing Khoza, and claims she was misled into believing the programme was non‑combat.
  • Officials say repatriation efforts are in progress, with Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola calling the situation difficult but expressing hope for breakthroughs.