‘Utterly Wicked’: Heartbreak and Anger as Citizens Reportedly Deceived into Battling for Russian Forces

One parent has not heard from her son since the end of August. The last time they spoke, he expressed fear that he was being sent to the battle lines of the ongoing conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Since that day, she has been gravely ill with worry.

“My health is truly suffering,” she stated, exhaustion 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 is an immense struggle.”

The young man was part of a group of seventeen South African and two Botswanan men who, as stated in legal filings, were deceptively recruited for serving with Russian military forces. The purported operation is connected with a daughter of ex-president Jacob Zuma.

A Startling Allegation

Claims about Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's role began to surface last month following the national authorities said it was attempting to assist citizens stranded in the war zone. Subsequently, in a dramatic development, a different family member, filed a police report claiming that Zuma-Sambudla and two others had deceptively recruited the men.

This claim rippled through the nation, where the wider scandal has highlighted the dire economic situation facing many of its young people. Statistics show a large portion of young adults are not in work or education.

The men are thought to remain caught in a conflict they did not sign up for, while their relatives far from home 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 June with what was presented as an exciting opportunity in Russia.

Some of the men were reportedly promised they would be instructed to become bodyguards for a faction led by Jacob Zuma. Others were given the impression they could enrol on a personal development programme, after which they could study abroad and even obtain Russian citizenship.

Initial wariness eventually gave way to agreement. “I recall requesting for written agreements for the program and it was handled with great urgency,” she said. “The message was: ‘They need to go, 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. Historical ties between certain factions and Russia date back many years. Jacob Zuma has been a leading figure in advocating for stronger alliances with nations often at in conflict with Western powers.

She 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 currently on trial on charges of terrorism and inciting violence related to social media activity 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 online forums from July and August reportedly show the men's growing unease.

By mid-August, the men began questioning from their recruiters, stating they were being split up. A communication clearly read: “We have been placed with a military group, in Ukraine. We are not in Russia.”

Towards the month's end, the young man contacted his parent to say he was being pressured to sign a contract in Russian. A document associated with another member of the group seems to be a service agreement with a specific military unit that has been involved in the war since its outset.

Government Response and Ongoing Anguish

In early November, the national leadership said it had received distress calls the men and was attempting to bring them home. The government noted that assisting external armed forces without official permission is illegal.

A deep rivalry between the two political figures introduces an element of complication to the situation. Initially, the contingent numbered twenty individuals, but a few were permitted to come back.

A mid-November call between Zuma-Sambudla and relatives of the men reportedly yielded little clarity. Shortly after, the formal allegation was filed by another family member, accusing 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 proper program. “I would not knowingly expose my own family to harm,” she said in parts of her statement. She subsequently resigned from her elected role.

Other individuals could not be reached for a statement. An official representative said there was no new information on the mission to bring back the men. Diplomatic missions 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 warn their citizens about such recruitment.

Unrelated to this incident, several other South Africans including a media personality recently appeared in court on similar allegations relating to involvement for Russia.

Meanwhile, the mother continues to be consumed by fear and bewildered and angry. “To think that someone could exploit a young person … I think that is outright evil,” she said. “She kept assuring them that they would not see combat and she betrayed them like that. What kind of person does that?”