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Zuma’s daughter opens criminal case against sister Duduzile and others over alleged trafficking of South Africans to Russia
Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube, the daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, has filed a criminal case alleging that 17 South African men, including eight of her own family members, were trafficked to fight in the Ukraine war.
The case, opened at the Sandton Police Station on November 22, 2025, names three individuals, Ms Duduzile Zuma Sambudla (her sister), Ms Siphokazi Xuma, and Mr Blessing Khoza.
Zuma-Mncube accuses them of playing “key roles” in what she describes as a tragedy where the men were “lured to Russia under false pretences and handed to a Russian mercenary group to fight war… without their knowledge or consent.”
The allegations point to a severe breach of South African law. In her statement, Zuma-Mncube asserts the trio contravened the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act which strictly governs the participation of citizens in foreign conflicts and common law fraud.
This revelation sheds a startling new light on the precarious situation of the 17 citizens, who are now reportedly seeking assistance from the South African government while trapped in a active war zone. The direct involvement of members of the politically significant Zuma family adds a layer of complexity and urgency to the case.
Zuma-Mncube has made a dual appeal, first, to the government to “expedite all diplomatic efforts” for the immediate and safe return of the men, and second, to the South African public, urging vigilance against offers of deceptively attractive opportunities abroad, “especially those involving travel to conflict zones.”
The South African Police Service has confirmed receipt of the case, which is now expected to trigger parallel diplomatic and criminal investigations.