The DA has formally laid criminal charges against MK Party MP, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, for her alleged central role in recruiting and trafficking young South African men into the Russian war effort in Ukraine.

News24 has previously reported on Zuma-Sambudla’s alleged involvement.

The Hawks confirmed this week that it is investigating whether Zuma-Sambudla was involved in any form of criminality after her sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, opened an enquiry at the Sandton Police Station.

Zuma-Sambudla subsequently laid countercharges against a fellow recruiter, blaming them for sending the men who are now stranded. She is currently on trial on terrorism charges relating to the unrest in 2021.

The DA’s charges were laid in terms of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act 15 of 1998.

This follows new evidence received by the DA, including around 100 WhatsApp messages from a group allegedly administered by Zuma-Sambudla.

These messages show clear coordination in luring at least 22 men to Russia under the guise of “personal development”, “security training”, and even promises of Russian or Canadian citizenship.

The DA’s Spokesperson on Defence & Military Veterans, Chris Hattingh, says families of the men have independently provided testimonies confirming the same pattern of deception.

Hattingh says one mother reported that her son was “excited for a new life” and believed he would return with foreign citizenship, only to find himself trapped in a warzone.

According to information gathered, once the men arrived in Russia:

• Their passports and clothing were burned,
• Their phones were confiscated,
• And communication with families gradually cut off until it ceased entirely.

“This directly contradicts every promise made to them and constitutes clear indicators of trafficking and coercion.”

Of the 22 men who initially travelled, 19 remain in Russia, including 17 South Africans, now reportedly deployed in a “red zone” in North Donetsk as part of Russian forces. Three were returned early due to family connections to “Madiba”.

The charges laid include human trafficking and contraventions of South Africa’s anti-mercenary legislation.

“This scandal raises profound foreign policy concerns. South Africa has strict prohibitions on mercenary recruitment, yet Defence Intelligence and DIRCO remained publicly silent until today — despite indications that both the Presidency and former President Jacob Zuma were aware of the situation.”

Minister Angie Motshekga has since confirmed that the State Security Agency is liaising with the Russian government, while there has been little information emanating from DIRCO.

Hattingh says his party will intensify its efforts in Parliament to force full transparency from the state.

“We will pursue urgent joint committee meetings to determine what DIRCO, Defence Intelligence and the SSA knew, and what actions — if any — they took as these young men were trafficked out of the country.”

The DA will also escalate pressure on the government to immediately begin the process of repatriating the 17 South African trapped South Africans.