‘Pure Malevolence’: Heartbreak and Fury as Citizens Allegedly Deceived into Fighting for Russian Forces

One parent has had no contact with her son since late August. Their final conversation, he voiced concern that he was being dispatched to the frontlines of the war between the Russian Federation and its neighbor. Since that day, she has been gravely ill with worry.

“My health is truly suffering,” she said, fatigue evident in her voice. “I get anxiety attacks, I’m in and out of hospital, heart palpitations. It’s just a whole lot. Headaches, I’m dizzy all the time. It is an immense struggle.”

Her son was among a contingent of 17 South African and two citizens of Botswana men who, according to legal filings, were deceptively recruited for fighting for Russian military forces. The purported operation is linked to a family member of ex-president Jacob Zuma.

A Political Bombshell

Claims about Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's role began to surface recently after the South African government announced it was trying to help nationals trapped in the war zone. Then, in a bombshell intervention, another of Zuma’s daughters, filed a police report claiming that Zuma-Sambudla and two others had misled the men.

The accusation rippled through South Africa, where the wider scandal has highlighted the dire economic situation facing a significant youth demographic. Statistics show a large portion of under-35s are unemployed and not studying.

These individuals are believed to be caught in a war they never agreed to join, while their families far from home dread for their lives.

The Initial Contact

Mary, whose name has been changed, said she and her son were introduced to Zuma-Sambudla through a relative when her son was still a child. She stated that an offer was presented in June with what was presented as an exciting opportunity in the foreign country.

Some of the men were reportedly promised they would be trained as bodyguards for a faction led by Jacob Zuma. Others were allegedly told they could join a personal development programme, upon completion they could attend a Russian university and even secure foreign nationality.

Initial wariness was overcome by agreement. “I remember asking for written agreements for the program and it was just so rushed,” the mother said. “The message was: ‘They must leave, they need to go urgently.’”

A Complex Backdrop

Zuma-Sambudla, is known as a fierce defender of her parent, who retains considerable political influence nationally. Longstanding relations between certain factions and Moscow date back many years. The former president has been at the forefront in advocating for closer relationships with nations often at odds with Western powers.

The accused has also frequently declared her support of Russia. Online, she has made statements aligning herself with the leadership in Moscow.

Separately, she is facing legal proceedings on charges of serious offenses related to online posts during previous riots. She denies those charges.

From Airport to Battlefield

The group reportedly met at a travel hub in the summer before traveling to Moscow. Communication records from private chat groups dated July and August reportedly show the group's concerns.

In the following weeks, the men started demanding answers from their recruiters, stating they were being split up. One message explicitly stated: “We are with a paramilitary organization, in Ukraine. This is not Russia.”

In late August, the young man contacted his parent to say he was being forced to sign a contract in a language he did not understand. A document associated with another member of the group appears to be a contract with a specific military unit that has been involved in the war since its outset.

Government Response and Ongoing Anguish

Recently, the office of the South African president said it had been contacted by the men and was attempting to bring them home. The government noted that recruiting for foreign militaries without state authorization is against the law.

A deep rivalry between current and former leaders introduces an element of complexity to the case. Initially, the group included 20 South Africans, but a few were permitted to come back.

A subsequent conversation between the accused and families of the men reportedly yielded little clarity. Soon thereafter, the police report was lodged by another relative, claiming her half-sister and others of luring the men “under false pretences” and handing them to a Russian mercenary group.

Reacting to this, Zuma-Sambudla filed her own affidavit claiming she had been deceived by an associate into believing it was a proper training course. “I would not knowingly expose anyone to harm,” she said in excerpts of her statement. She subsequently stepped down from her elected role.

The other named recruiters could not be reached for a statement. A government spokesperson said there was no new information on the mission to bring back the men. Foreign embassies did not reply to requests for comment.

A Wider Pattern

Reports suggest that a significant number of citizens from African countries are serving with Moscow's military in Ukraine, leading to appeals for nations to warn their citizens about these activities.

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.

Meanwhile, Mary continues to be consumed by fear and full of confusion and rage. “To think that someone could take a child … I think that is outright evil,” she said. “She kept assuring them that they weren’t going to war and she betrayed them like that. What kind of person does that?”