🔗 Share this article ‘Outright Evil’: Anguish and Fury as Citizens Allegedly Deceived into Battling for Russian Forces A mother has not heard from her son since the end of August. The last time they spoke, he voiced concern that he was being dispatched to the frontlines of the war between Russia and Ukraine. From that moment, she has been gravely ill with anxiety. “I’m honestly really sick,” she said, fatigue evident in her voice. “I get anxiety attacks, I’m in and out of hospital, palpitations. It's overwhelming. Constant headaches and dizziness. It is an immense struggle.” Her son was part of a group of seventeen South African and two citizens of Botswana men who, as stated in legal filings, were tricked into fighting for Russian military forces. The alleged scheme is linked to a daughter of ex-president Jacob Zuma. A Political Bombshell Allegations about Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's role began to surface last month after the South African government said it was trying to help nationals stranded in the war zone. Subsequently, in a dramatic development, a different family member, filed a police report claiming that Zuma-Sambudla and two others had misled the men. The accusation sent shock waves through the nation, where the broader situation has highlighted the dire economic situation facing many of its young people. Statistics show a large portion of young adults are unemployed and not studying. The men are believed to be caught in a conflict they never agreed to join, while their families thousands of miles away dread for their lives. The Initial Contact The mother, whose identity is protected, said she and her son were introduced to the accused through a relative when her son was still a child. She stated that contact was made in the middle of the year with what was presented as an lucrative prospect in the foreign country. A portion of the group were reportedly promised they would be trained as security personnel for a faction associated with Jacob Zuma. Others were given the impression they could enrol on a self-improvement course, after which they could study abroad and even obtain Russian citizenship. Early hesitation was overcome by agreement. “I remember asking for contracts for the program and it was handled with great urgency,” she said. “They insisted: ‘They must leave, they need to go urgently.’” A Complex Backdrop The accused, has long been a fierce defender of her parent, who holds considerable political influence nationally. Longstanding relations between South African political structures and Moscow date back many years. The former president has been at the forefront in pushing for stronger alliances with countries often at odds with Western powers. She has also publicly expressed her support of Russia. On social media, she has shared posts aligning herself with the leadership in Moscow. Separately, she is facing legal proceedings on charges of serious offenses related to social media activity during previous riots. She denies those charges. The Journey to War The group reportedly met at a major international airport in the summer before flying to Moscow. Communication records from private chat groups dated July and August apparently indicate the men's growing unease. By mid-August, the men started demanding answers from their recruiters, stating they were being split up. A communication clearly read: “We are with a military group, in Ukraine. This is not Russia.” In late August, the young man contacted his parent to say he was being pressured to sign a contract in Russian. A document associated with another member of the group appears to be a contract with a designated force 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 attempting to secure their return. The government emphasized that recruiting for foreign militaries without official permission is against the law. The political rift between current and former leaders introduces an element of complexity to the situation. Initially, the group numbered twenty individuals, but three were allowed to come back. A subsequent conversation between the accused and relatives of the men reportedly yielded no answers. Shortly after, the police report was lodged by another family member, claiming her sibling and others of enticing the men “based on deception” and handing them to a Russian mercenary group. In response, Zuma-Sambudla filed her own affidavit claiming she had been deceived by another recruiter into believing it was a legitimate program. “I would not knowingly expose my own family to harm,” she said in parts of her statement. She subsequently resigned from her political position. The other named recruiters could not be reached for comment. An official representative said there was no new information on efforts to repatriate the men. Foreign embassies have not responded to inquiries. A Wider Pattern Authorities have indicated that hundreds of African nationals are fighting alongside Moscow's military in Ukraine, prompting calls for nations to alert their populations about these activities. Unrelated to this incident, several other South Africans among them a public figure recently faced a judge on similar allegations relating to involvement for Russia. Meanwhile, the mother continues to be worried sick and bewildered and angry. “To think that someone could take a child … I think that is sheer wickedness,” she said. “Promises were made that they weren’t going to war and she betrayed them like that. What kind of person does that?”
A mother has not heard from her son since the end of August. The last time they spoke, he voiced concern that he was being dispatched to the frontlines of the war between Russia and Ukraine. From that moment, she has been gravely ill with anxiety. “I’m honestly really sick,” she said, fatigue evident in her voice. “I get anxiety attacks, I’m in and out of hospital, palpitations. It's overwhelming. Constant headaches and dizziness. It is an immense struggle.” Her son was part of a group of seventeen South African and two citizens of Botswana men who, as stated in legal filings, were tricked into fighting for Russian military forces. The alleged scheme is linked to a daughter of ex-president Jacob Zuma. A Political Bombshell Allegations about Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's role began to surface last month after the South African government said it was trying to help nationals stranded in the war zone. Subsequently, in a dramatic development, a different family member, filed a police report claiming that Zuma-Sambudla and two others had misled the men. The accusation sent shock waves through the nation, where the broader situation has highlighted the dire economic situation facing many of its young people. Statistics show a large portion of young adults are unemployed and not studying. The men are believed to be caught in a conflict they never agreed to join, while their families thousands of miles away dread for their lives. The Initial Contact The mother, whose identity is protected, said she and her son were introduced to the accused through a relative when her son was still a child. She stated that contact was made in the middle of the year with what was presented as an lucrative prospect in the foreign country. A portion of the group were reportedly promised they would be trained as security personnel for a faction associated with Jacob Zuma. Others were given the impression they could enrol on a self-improvement course, after which they could study abroad and even obtain Russian citizenship. Early hesitation was overcome by agreement. “I remember asking for contracts for the program and it was handled with great urgency,” she said. “They insisted: ‘They must leave, they need to go urgently.’” A Complex Backdrop The accused, has long been a fierce defender of her parent, who holds considerable political influence nationally. Longstanding relations between South African political structures and Moscow date back many years. The former president has been at the forefront in pushing for stronger alliances with countries often at odds with Western powers. She has also publicly expressed her support of Russia. On social media, she has shared posts aligning herself with the leadership in Moscow. Separately, she is facing legal proceedings on charges of serious offenses related to social media activity during previous riots. She denies those charges. The Journey to War The group reportedly met at a major international airport in the summer before flying to Moscow. Communication records from private chat groups dated July and August apparently indicate the men's growing unease. By mid-August, the men started demanding answers from their recruiters, stating they were being split up. A communication clearly read: “We are with a military group, in Ukraine. This is not Russia.” In late August, the young man contacted his parent to say he was being pressured to sign a contract in Russian. A document associated with another member of the group appears to be a contract with a designated force 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 attempting to secure their return. The government emphasized that recruiting for foreign militaries without official permission is against the law. The political rift between current and former leaders introduces an element of complexity to the situation. Initially, the group numbered twenty individuals, but three were allowed to come back. A subsequent conversation between the accused and relatives of the men reportedly yielded no answers. Shortly after, the police report was lodged by another family member, claiming her sibling and others of enticing the men “based on deception” and handing them to a Russian mercenary group. In response, Zuma-Sambudla filed her own affidavit claiming she had been deceived by another recruiter into believing it was a legitimate program. “I would not knowingly expose my own family to harm,” she said in parts of her statement. She subsequently resigned from her political position. The other named recruiters could not be reached for comment. An official representative said there was no new information on efforts to repatriate the men. Foreign embassies have not responded to inquiries. A Wider Pattern Authorities have indicated that hundreds of African nationals are fighting alongside Moscow's military in Ukraine, prompting calls for nations to alert their populations about these activities. Unrelated to this incident, several other South Africans among them a public figure recently faced a judge on similar allegations relating to involvement for Russia. Meanwhile, the mother continues to be worried sick and bewildered and angry. “To think that someone could take a child … I think that is sheer wickedness,” she said. “Promises were made that they weren’t going to war and she betrayed them like that. What kind of person does that?”