Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, one of the daughters of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has filed a criminal complaint against her sister Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla. The complaint alleges that Zuma-Sambudla, who is a Member of Parliament, along with two other individuals, recruited 17 South African men to fight for Russian mercenaries in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Zuma-Mncube claims the men were misled into believing they were traveling to Russia to undergo training as bodyguards for her father’s political party, Mkhonto Wesizwe (MK).
South African authorities stated they are currently investigating this matter. The police confirmed that they have received distress calls from 17 South African citizens who reportedly joined mercenary forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The government indicated that these individuals were lured with offers of lucrative contracts.
The ages of the men in question range from 20 to 39, and the high unemployment rate in South Africa, particularly among the youth, is concerning to analysts. Zuma-Mncube expressed that she felt a “moral obligation” to report her sister to the police.
Additionally, recent reports by the financial outlet Bloomberg have suggested that some recruits may also have come from neighboring Botswana. This situation adds to the legal challenges facing Zuma-Sambudla, who is currently on trial for terrorism-related charges linked to her social media posts made during violent protests in South Africa following her father’s arrest in 2021.
Jacob Zuma was sentenced to jail for contempt of court after refusing to participate in an inquiry into corruption allegations from his presidency. He subsequently established the MK party, which placed third in the most recent elections. The BBC has reached out to both MK and the Jacob Zuma Foundation for comments regarding this situation.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqlkve4qz0ro?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss