Zuma’s daughter resigns from Parliament amid claims she sent South African men to fight in Russia-Ukraine war
MK officials insisted her decision was not an admission of wrongdoing. MK national organiser Nathi Nhleko told reporters that the party had no role in recruiting the men but would support efforts to return them to South Africa.
The daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma has resigned from Parliament amid allegations that she misled 17 South African men into travelling to Russia under false pretences, only for them to be deployed to fight on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine.
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a Member of Parliament for the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party led by her father, stepped down voluntarily, with the party announcing that her resignation from the National Assembly and all public roles took immediate effect.
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MK officials insisted her decision was not an admission of wrongdoing. MK national organiser Nathi Nhleko told reporters that the party had no role in recruiting the men but would support efforts to return them to South Africa.
"The national officials have accepted comrade Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's decision to resign and support her efforts to ensure that these young South Africans are brought back safely to their families," he said.
Magasela Mzobe, another MK official, told reporters: “As far as we know, the resignation has got nothing to do with admission of guilt or the organisation finding her guilty,” adding that the MK party had not been involved with the group of men who ended up trapped on the frontline of the war in Ukraine.
The allegations came to light after Zuma-Sambudla’s half-sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, filed a police complaint on November 22, accusing her and two associates — Siphokazi Xuma and Blessing Khoza — of convincing the men they were travelling to Russia for bodyguard training for the MK party. Eight of the men were reportedly relatives.
Zuma-Mncube did not suggest a motive for her sister’s alleged recruiting in the statement she made to police.
Zuma-Sambudla then filed an affidavit of her own, claiming she was “a victim of deception, misrepresentation and manipulation” by Khoza after the men were recruited for what she had believed was a legitimate paramilitary training course.
She maintained that she had “shared information innocently” and would never knowingly expose anyone, including her own family, to harm.
South African outlet News24 reported receiving video messages from some of the stranded men, who said they were persuaded to sign contracts written in Russian that they could not understand.
They also claimed Zuma-Sambudla told them she would spend a year in Russia training alongside them.
According to reports, the police have confirmed they are investigating both affidavits. Zuma-Sambudla attended the MK press briefing where her resignation was announced, but did not speak publicly.
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