‘Pure Malevolence’: Anguish and Anger as South Africans Allegedly Tricked into Fighting for Russia

A mother has not heard from her son since late August. Their final conversation, he expressed fear that he was being dispatched to the frontlines of the war between Russia and its neighbor. Since that day, she has been physically unwell with anxiety.

“I’m honestly really sick,” she said, fatigue evident in her voice. “I suffer panic 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.”

Her son was part of a group of seventeen South African and two citizens of Botswana men who, according to multiple lawsuits, were tricked into fighting for Russian military forces. The purported operation is connected with a family member of former South African president Jacob Zuma.

A Startling Allegation

Allegations about Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's role began to surface last month following the South African government announced it was attempting to assist citizens trapped in the war zone. Subsequently, in a dramatic development, a different family member, filed a police report alleging that several individuals had misled the men.

This claim rippled through the nation, where the wider scandal has highlighted the severe financial hardship facing many of its young people. Reports indicate a large portion of young adults are not in work or education.

These individuals are thought to remain trapped in a war they never agreed to join, while their families far from home dread for their lives.

A Fateful Introduction

The mother, whose identity is protected, said she and her son were introduced to the accused via a family connection when her son was still a child. She stated that contact was made in the middle of the year with what was described as an lucrative prospect in the foreign country.

Some of the men were allegedly told they would be instructed to become security personnel for a political party led by Jacob Zuma. Others were allegedly told they could enrol on a self-improvement course, after which they could study abroad and even secure Russian citizenship.

Early hesitation was overcome by agreement. “I recall requesting for written agreements for the school and it was just so rushed,” she said. “They insisted: ‘They must leave, it is an immediate necessity.’”

Political Connections

The accused, is known as a vocal supporter of her parent, who retains significant sway nationally. Longstanding relations between South African political structures and Russia date back many years. The former president has been at the forefront in pushing for stronger alliances with nations often at odds with Western powers.

The accused has also publicly expressed her backing for Russia. On social media, she has made statements showing solidarity to the government in Moscow.

Separately, she is facing legal proceedings on charges of serious offenses related to social media activity during past unrest. She denies those charges.

The Journey to War

The men allegedly gathered at a travel hub in early July before flying to Moscow. Communication records from online forums dated July and August apparently indicate the men's growing unease.

By mid-August, the men began questioning from their recruiters, stating they were separated. A communication explicitly stated: “We have been placed with a paramilitary organization, in Ukraine. We are not in Russia.”

Towards the month's end, the son contacted his parent to say he was being forced to sign a contract in a language he did not understand. An agreement associated with another member of the group appears to be a service agreement with a specific military unit that has been involved in the war since its outset.

Official Actions and Family Despair

In early November, the office of the South African president said it had received distress calls the men and was attempting to bring them home. The government noted that recruiting for external armed forces without official permission is against the law.

The political rift between the two political figures introduces an element of complication to the situation. At first, the group numbered twenty individuals, but a few were permitted to return home.

A subsequent conversation between the accused and families of the men reportedly yielded no answers. Soon thereafter, the formal allegation was filed by another relative, claiming her sibling and others of luring the men “under false pretences” and handing them to a foreign fighting force.

In response, Zuma-Sambudla filed her own affidavit asserting she had been misled by an associate into believing it was a legitimate training course. “I would not knowingly expose my own family to harm,” she said in excerpts of her statement. She subsequently resigned from her political position.

Other individuals could not be reached for a statement. An official representative said there was no new information on efforts to repatriate the men. Foreign embassies have not responded to inquiries.

A Wider Pattern

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

In a separate case, several other South Africans including a media personality recently appeared in court on similar allegations relating to involvement for Russia.

Throughout this ordeal, Mary continues to be consumed by fear and bewildered and angry. “To think that someone could take a child … That constitutes 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?”