By Zukile Majova
- Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla stepped down from Parliament and left the MK Party after being accused of luring men to fight in Ukraine under false promises.
- She denies the claims and says she was scammed by a recruiter, but the police are investigating and at least 17 men remain stranded abroad.
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former president Jacob Zuma, has resigned from Parliament and quit all structures of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party.
Her resignation came on Friday, shortly after she was accused of helping recruit South African men to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war. The men were allegedly promised jobs but ended up stranded in Russia as part of what appears to be a fake military operation.
Zuma-Sambudla denies knowingly recruiting anyone for combat and says she was scammed by a man who misled her about the nature of the work. The SA Police Service has launched an investigation.
At least 17 men are reportedly stuck in Russia. Their families say they were tricked with false promises of security jobs and now fear for their lives.
The MK Party held a press briefing in Durban to confirm Zuma-Sambudla’s resignation. The party also distanced itself from the scandal, saying it had no role in the alleged recruitment and would not comment further until investigations are complete.
Earlier this year, Zuma-Sambudla was nearly expelled from the MK Party after she publicly criticised former secretary-general Floyd Shivambu. At the time, she survived the fallout.
She is also fighting other serious charges. Zuma-Sambudla recently pleaded not guilty to terrorism-related charges linked to the 2021 unrest that saw more than 300 people killed across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Her lawyer Advocate Dali Mpofu told the Durban High Court the state case against Zuma-Sambudla was baseless, politically motivated, and lacking substantive evidence.
Though no longer a Member of Parliament, she remains a controversial and high-profile figure — and her legal troubles are far from over. Police say investigations into both the 2021 unrest and the alleged Russia recruitment scheme are ongoing.
Pictured above: Duduzile zuma-sambudla with her father Jacob Zuma.
Image source: MKP media unit
