‘Pure Malevolence’: Anguish and Anger as Citizens Reportedly Tricked into Battling for Russia

A mother has had no contact with her son since the end of August. The last time they spoke, he voiced concern that he was being dispatched to the battle lines of the ongoing conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Since that day, she has been physically unwell with worry.

“My health is truly suffering,” she stated, fatigue evident in her voice. “I get anxiety attacks, I’m in and out of hospital, heart palpitations. It’s just a whole lot. Constant headaches and dizziness. It is an immense struggle.”

The young man was among a contingent of seventeen South African and two citizens of Botswana men who, as stated in legal filings, were deceptively recruited for fighting for Russia. The purported operation is connected with a family member of ex-president Jacob Zuma.

A Startling Allegation

Claims about Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's role began to emerge last month following the South African government announced it was trying to help citizens stranded in the war zone. Subsequently, in a bombshell intervention, a different family member, lodged a formal complaint alleging that Zuma-Sambudla and two others had deceptively recruited the men.

The accusation sent shock waves through the nation, where the wider scandal has shone a light on the severe financial hardship facing a significant youth demographic. Statistics show a substantial percentage of young adults are not in work or education.

The men are thought to remain trapped in a war they never agreed to join, while their families far from home fear for their lives.

A Fateful Introduction

The mother, whose name has been changed, said she and her son were introduced to the accused via a family connection when her son was still a child. She stated that an offer was presented in June with what was presented as an lucrative prospect in the foreign country.

A portion of the group were reportedly promised they would be instructed to become bodyguards for a faction led by Jacob Zuma. The remainder were allegedly told they could join a personal development programme, after which they could attend a Russian university and even obtain Russian citizenship.

Initial wariness was overcome by agreement. “I remember asking for contracts for the school and it was just so rushed,” the mother said. “They insisted: ‘They must leave, it is an immediate necessity.’”

A Complex Backdrop

Zuma-Sambudla, has long been a fierce defender of her father, who retains considerable political influence nationally. Longstanding relations between certain factions and Russia date back decades. Jacob Zuma has been a leading figure in advocating for closer relationships with countries often at odds with Western powers.

She has also frequently declared her support of Russia. On social media, she has shared posts showing solidarity to the government in Moscow.

Separately, she is facing legal proceedings on charges of serious offenses related to social media activity during previous riots. She has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

From Airport to Battlefield

The group allegedly gathered at a major international airport in the summer before flying to Moscow. Communication records from private chat groups from July and August apparently indicate the group's concerns.

In the following weeks, the men began questioning from their contacts, stating they were being split up. One message clearly read: “We have been placed with a paramilitary organization, in Ukraine. We are not in Russia.”

In late August, the son called his mother to say he was being pressured to sign a contract in Russian. A document linked to another member of the group appears to be a contract with a designated force that has been active 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 bring them home. The government emphasized that recruiting for foreign militaries without state authorization is illegal.

The political rift between current and former leaders introduces an element of complication to the case. Initially, the group numbered 20 South Africans, but three were allowed to come back.

A subsequent conversation between Zuma-Sambudla and families of the men reportedly yielded no answers. Shortly after, the formal allegation was filed by another family member, claiming her sibling and others of luring the men “based on deception” and handing them to a foreign fighting force.

In response, the accused submitted a statement asserting she had been misled by an associate into believing it was a proper program. “I would not knowingly expose anyone to harm,” she said in parts of her statement. She subsequently resigned from her elected role.

Other individuals were unavailable for comment. A government spokesperson said there was “no update” on the mission to bring back the men. Diplomatic missions did not reply to inquiries.

A Wider Pattern

Reports suggest that a significant number of African nationals are fighting alongside Moscow's military in Ukraine, prompting calls for nations to warn their citizens about such recruitment.

Unrelated to this incident, several other South Africans among them a public figure recently faced a judge on charges relating to recruitment and fighting for Russia.

Throughout this ordeal, Mary continues to be consumed by fear and bewildered and angry. “To think that someone could exploit a young person … I think that is sheer wickedness,” she said. “She kept assuring them that they weren’t going to war and she betrayed them like that. I mean, who does that?”