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One of the daughters of former South African president Jacob Zuma has resigned as a member of parliament, after being accused of deceiving 17 South African men into fighting for Russia in Ukraine by convincing them they were travelling to Russia to prepare as security personnel for the Zumas’ political party.

Stepping Down Statement

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, 43, prominently involved in political activities of her siblings, offered to resign and step back from official duties while cooperating with a law enforcement inquiry and striving to bring the men home, the MK chair, Nkosinathi Nhleko, said at a press conference in Durban.

Magasela Mzobe, told reporters: “To our knowledge, the resignation has got no connection to accepting responsibility or the party finding her guilty,” noting that the political group had not been involved with the group of men who found themselves stranded on the frontline of the war in Ukraine.

Police Reports

Late last month, a different daughter of Zuma, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, submitted a legal complaint alleging that her sibling Zuma-Sambudla and two others, Xuma and Khoza, had enlisted the men, including several relatives. Zuma-Mncube did not propose a motive for her sister’s alleged recruiting in the statement she made to police.

The accused then filed an affidavit of her own, claiming she was “subjected of trickery, misrepresentation and manipulation” by Khoza after the men were recruited for what she had understood was a legitimate paramilitary training course.

Time in Russia

She said she traveled to the country herself for a month of the instruction, in excerpts from her statement to police: “I experienced only non-combat, controlled activities. I did not encounter warfare, not assigned to active duty.”

She maintained that she had “shared information innocently” with others, who then volunteered to go to Russia themselves. She added: “Under no circumstances would I, intentionally expose my own family or any other person to danger.”

News Coverage

The South African outlet the media organization said it had received recordings from three of the men stranded in Ukraine, in which they alleged Zuma-Sambudla persuaded them to agree to terms in the local language that they did not comprehend and said she would remain for twelve months in Russia preparing alongside them.

Political Context

Jacob Zuma, MK party’s president, was at the media event but did not address the audience. He has been married six times and currently has four wives and more than 20 children. Polygamy is accepted in South Africa via a regulation governing “customary” marriages.

The former president was ousted as South Africa’s president in 2018, after being charged of directing a period of huge corruption known as “government control”, allegations he has consistently refuted. He established MK party in December 2023, securing a significant portion of the vote in the 2024 national elections.

Investigation Status

On Tuesday, police verified they were probing, after receiving both statements. The former MP did not respond and messages seeking comment. The other accused could not be reached for comment.

Earlier last month the office of South Africa’s president, the current leader, announced it was examining how the men became trapped in eastern Ukraine and was working to bring them home, after getting “urgent appeals for assistance”.

Enlistment Claims

The men “were enticed to join private military groups involved in the Ukraine-Russia war under the pretext of lucrative employment contracts”, it said, adding that South Africans were not permitted to support or fight for overseas armies without government authorisation.

Online Activity

She has repeatedly shared her support for Russia and its leader, the Russian president, online. “We Love You Both LOUDLY And UNAPOLOGETICALLY So … I celebrate this” she wrote on the platform, formerly known as Twitter, with a image of her father and Putin making a toast, on 22 February 2022, the day Russia entered Ukraine. In May, she published: “I Stand With Russia,” with photos of the Hermitage Museum in the Russian city, although it was not evident if she had taken the photos herself or the timing.

Political Relations

South Africa’s African National Congress party, which pressured Zuma to resign as president in 2018, has long been close to Russia after the former USSR supported its fight against segregation. South Africa’s government, whose international relations is still guided by the ANC although it is now in a coalition, has avoided from criticising Russia for invading Ukraine. Efforts have been made to present itself as a neutral arbiter in the pursuit for a peace deal.

Legal Proceedings

The individual is on legal proceedings on charges of inciting violence in messages on X, during fatal protests that broke out in 2021 when her father was sent to jail for defying judicial orders. She has refuted the claims.