‘Pure Malevolence’: Anguish and Fury as Citizens Reportedly Deceived into Fighting for Russian Forces
One parent has not heard from her son since late August. Their final conversation, he expressed fear that he was being dispatched to the battle lines of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Since that day, she has been physically unwell with worry.
“My health is truly suffering,” she said, exhaustion 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 is an immense struggle.”
The young man was among a contingent of seventeen South African and two citizens of Botswana men who, as stated in legal filings, were deceptively recruited for serving with Russian military forces. The purported operation is linked to a family member of former South African president Jacob Zuma.
A Political Bombshell
Allegations about the individual's role began to emerge last month following the national authorities said it was trying to help nationals trapped in the war zone. Then, in a dramatic development, another of Zuma’s daughters, filed a police report claiming that several individuals had misled the men.
The accusation rippled through South Africa, where the wider scandal has highlighted the dire economic situation facing many of its young people. Statistics show a substantial percentage of under-35s are not in work or education.
These individuals are believed to be trapped in a war they never agreed to join, while their relatives thousands of miles away dread for their lives.
A Fateful Introduction
Mary, whose name has been changed, said she and her son were connected with Zuma-Sambudla through a relative years ago. She stated that an offer was presented in June with what was presented as an exciting opportunity in Russia.
Some of the men were reportedly promised they would be trained as bodyguards for a political party associated with Jacob Zuma. Others were given the impression they could join a self-improvement course, after which they could study abroad and even secure foreign nationality.
Initial wariness was overcome by agreement. “I recall requesting for written agreements for the program and it was just so rushed,” the mother said. “They insisted: ‘They must leave, they need to go urgently.’”
Political Connections
Zuma-Sambudla, is known as a fierce defender of her father, who retains considerable political influence nationally. Longstanding relations between certain factions and Moscow date back many years. Jacob Zuma has been at the forefront in advocating 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 shared posts aligning herself with the leadership in Moscow.
Separately, she is facing legal proceedings on accusations of serious offenses related to social media activity during previous riots. She denies those charges.
From Airport to Battlefield
The men allegedly gathered at a travel hub in early July before traveling to Moscow. Messages from online forums from July and August reportedly show the men's growing unease.
By mid-August, the men started demanding answers from their contacts, stating they were separated. A communication explicitly stated: “We have been placed with a military group, in Ukraine. We are not in Russia.”
In late August, the son called his mother 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 contract with a designated force 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 recruiting for foreign militaries without official permission is illegal.
The political rift between current and former leaders introduces an element of complication to the case. At first, the contingent included 20 South Africans, but three were allowed to come back.
A mid-November call between the accused and relatives of the men reportedly yielded no answers. Soon thereafter, the formal allegation was filed by another relative, claiming her sibling and others of enticing the men “under false pretences” and handing them to a foreign fighting force.
Reacting to this, the accused filed her own affidavit asserting she had been deceived by an associate into believing it was a legitimate training course. “Under no circumstances would I knowingly expose my own family to harm,” she said in parts of her statement. She subsequently stepped down from her political position.
Other individuals were unavailable for comment. An official representative said there was no new information on efforts to repatriate the men. Diplomatic missions have not responded to inquiries.
A Wider Pattern
Reports suggest that hundreds of African nationals 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 among them a public figure recently appeared in court on similar allegations relating to involvement for Russia.
Meanwhile, the mother continues to be consumed by fear and full of confusion and rage. “For someone to take a child … I think that is outright evil,” she said. “She kept assuring them that they weren’t going to war and she lets them down like that. I mean, who does that?”