‘Utterly Wicked’: Heartbreak and Anger as South Africans Allegedly Deceived into Fighting for Russia

One parent has had no contact with her son since the end of August. Their final conversation, he voiced concern that he was being sent to the frontlines of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Since that day, she has been gravely ill with anxiety.

“I’m honestly really sick,” she said, fatigue evident in her voice. “I get anxiety attacks, I’m in and out of hospital, heart palpitations. It's overwhelming. Headaches, I’m dizzy all the time. It’s not easy for me.”

The young man was part of a group of 17 South African and two Botswanan men who, according to legal filings, were tricked into fighting for Russia. The purported operation is connected with a family member of former South African president Jacob Zuma.

A Political Bombshell

Allegations about Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's role began to emerge last month after the South African government said it was attempting to assist citizens trapped in Ukraine. Then, in a bombshell intervention, a different family member, filed a police report claiming that several individuals had deceptively recruited the men.

The accusation sent shock waves through South Africa, where the wider scandal has highlighted the severe financial hardship facing many of its young people. Statistics show a substantial percentage of under-35s are unemployed and not studying.

These individuals are thought to remain trapped in a conflict they did not sign up for, while their relatives thousands of miles away dread for their lives.

The Initial Contact

The mother, whose identity is protected, said she and her son were introduced to Zuma-Sambudla through a relative years ago. She stated that contact was made in the middle of the year with what was described as an exciting opportunity in the foreign country.

Some of the men were reportedly promised they would be instructed to become security personnel for a faction associated with Jacob Zuma. Others were given the impression they could enrol on a self-improvement course, after which they could study abroad and even secure foreign nationality.

Initial wariness eventually gave way to agreement. “I recall requesting for contracts for the school and it was just so rushed,” the mother said. “They insisted: ‘They must leave, they need to go urgently.’”

A Complex Backdrop

Zuma-Sambudla, is known as a vocal supporter of her father, who holds significant sway nationally. Longstanding relations between certain factions and Moscow date back decades. The former president has been at the forefront in pushing for stronger alliances with countries often at in conflict with Western powers.

The accused has also publicly expressed her support of Russia. Online, she has made statements aligning herself with the government in Moscow.

Separately, she is facing legal proceedings on accusations of terrorism and inciting violence related to social media activity during past unrest. She has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

From Airport to Battlefield

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

By mid-August, the men started demanding answers from their recruiters, stating they were separated. A communication explicitly stated: “We have been placed with a military group, in Ukraine. This is not Russia.”

Towards the month's end, the young man contacted his parent to say he was being pressured to sign a contract in a language he did not understand. An agreement linked to another member of the group seems to be a service agreement with a designated force that has been active in the war since its beginning.

Government Response and Ongoing Anguish

In early November, the national leadership confirmed it had received distress calls the men and was working to secure their return. The government noted that recruiting for foreign militaries without official permission is illegal.

The political rift between current and former leaders introduces an element of complexity to the case. Initially, the contingent included 20 South Africans, but a few were permitted to return home.

A subsequent conversation between the accused and relatives of the men reportedly yielded no answers. Shortly after, the police report was filed by another relative, claiming her sibling and others of enticing the men “based on deception” and handing them to a foreign fighting force.

In response, the accused filed her own affidavit claiming she had been deceived by another recruiter into believing it was a proper training course. “I would not knowingly expose my own family to harm,” she said in parts of her statement. She subsequently resigned from her political position.

Other individuals were unavailable for a statement. An official representative said there was “no update” on efforts to repatriate the men. Foreign embassies have not responded to inquiries.

A Wider Pattern

Reports suggest that hundreds of African nationals are serving with Moscow's military in Ukraine, prompting calls for nations to alert their populations about such recruitment.

In a separate case, several other South Africans including a media personality recently faced a judge on similar allegations relating to recruitment and fighting for Russia.

Throughout this ordeal, the mother continues to be consumed by fear and full of confusion and rage. “For someone to take a child … I think that is sheer wickedness,” she said. “Promises were made that they would not see combat and she betrayed them like that. What kind of person does that?”