‘Utterly Wicked’: Anguish and Fury as Citizens Allegedly Deceived into Battling for Russian Forces
A mother has had no contact with her son since late August. The last time they spoke, he voiced concern that he was being sent to the frontlines of the war between Russia and Ukraine. From that moment, she has been physically unwell with anxiety.
“I’m honestly really sick,” she stated, fatigue evident in her voice. “I suffer panic attacks, my hospital visits are frequent, heart palpitations. It's overwhelming. Constant headaches and dizziness. It is an immense struggle.”
The young man was among a contingent of seventeen South African and two citizens of Botswana men who, according to legal filings, were tricked into fighting for Russia. The alleged scheme is linked to a daughter of ex-president Jacob Zuma.
A Political Bombshell
Claims about the individual's involvement began to emerge recently after the South African government said it was attempting to assist nationals trapped in Ukraine. Subsequently, in a bombshell intervention, another of Zuma’s daughters, filed a police report claiming that Zuma-Sambudla and two others had deceptively recruited the men.
This claim sent shock waves through South Africa, where the wider scandal has highlighted the severe financial hardship facing many of its young people. Reports indicate a substantial percentage of under-35s are not in work or education.
These individuals are believed to be caught in a conflict they did not sign up for, while their relatives far from home dread for their lives.
A Fateful Introduction
The mother, whose identity is protected, said she and her son were connected with 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 lucrative prospect in the foreign country.
A portion of the group were allegedly told they would be instructed to become bodyguards for a faction associated with Jacob Zuma. The remainder were allegedly told they could join a self-improvement course, upon completion they could attend a Russian university and even obtain foreign nationality.
Initial wariness was overcome by agreement. “I remember asking for contracts for the school and it was handled with great urgency,” the mother said. “They insisted: ‘They need to go, it is an immediate necessity.’”
Political Connections
Zuma-Sambudla, has long been a fierce defender of her parent, who retains significant sway nationally. Longstanding relations between certain factions and Moscow 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.
She has also publicly expressed her backing for Russia. On social media, she has made statements showing solidarity to the government in Moscow.
In another matter, she is currently on trial on charges of terrorism and inciting violence 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 flying to Moscow. Messages from private chat groups from July and August apparently indicate the men's growing unease.
In the following weeks, the men started demanding answers from their contacts, stating they were being split up. One message explicitly stated: “We have been placed with a military group, in Ukraine. We are not in Russia.”
Towards the month's end, the young man called his mother to say he was being forced to agree to terms in a language he did not understand. An agreement 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 beginning.
Official Actions and Family Despair
Recently, the office of the South African president confirmed it had been contacted by the men and was working to secure their return. The government emphasized that recruiting for external armed forces without state authorization is against the law.
A deep rivalry between current and former leaders introduces an element of complication to the case. Initially, the group included 20 South Africans, but a few were permitted to come back.
A subsequent conversation between Zuma-Sambudla and relatives of the men allegedly provided no answers. Soon thereafter, the police report was lodged by another relative, accusing her sibling and others of luring the men “under false pretences” and handing them to a Russian mercenary group.
Reacting to this, Zuma-Sambudla submitted a statement claiming she had been deceived by an associate into believing it was a legitimate training course. “Under no circumstances would I knowingly expose anyone to harm,” she said in excerpts 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. Diplomatic missions have not responded to requests for comment.
A Wider Pattern
Authorities have indicated that hundreds of citizens from African countries are serving with Russian forces in Ukraine, prompting calls for nations to alert their populations about such recruitment.
Unrelated to this incident, several other South Africans including a media personality recently faced a judge on charges relating to involvement for Russia.
Throughout this ordeal, the mother continues to be worried sick and bewildered and angry. “For someone to take a child … I think that is sheer wickedness,” 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?”