Police station abuzz as DA lays charges against Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has laid criminal charges against uMkhonto we Sizwe Party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla for her alleged central role in recruiting and trafficking young South African men into the Russian war in Ukraine.

This followed a case opened by former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter, Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube, against Zuma-Sambudla.

In a statement, the party said these charges followed new evidence “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.”

According to the DA, once the men arrived in Russia:

• their passports and clothing were burnt;
• their phones were confiscated; and
• communication with families was gradually cut off until it ceased entirely.

“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 today include human trafficking, contraventions of South Africa’s anti-mercenary legislation, and additional offences that the SAPS must now investigate.

“This scandal raises profound foreign policy concerns. South Africa has strict prohibitions on mercenary recruitment,” the party said in a statement.

Speaking to reporters outside the police station on Thursday, Chris Hattingh, the DA’s spokesperson on defence and military veterans, said this was a “very serious situation”.

At the end of the last week of August, the men suddenly started to realise this thing is going south and it’s not going to end well. We’ve got all the evidence.

—  Chris Hattingh, the DA’s spokesperson

“If you look at the timeline of the WhatsApp messages, (there is) firstly (a message) of hope, training, personal development, (they) very excited. Promises of foreign citizenship, Russian citizenship.

“What then unfolded is that their clothes were taken off and burned, their passports were taken. They got limited cellphone time and and then their cellphones were taken away.”

However, he said some of the men still had access to cellphones. “This whole thing started in July and then the pressure was gradually building up and at a certain stage. I can’t say at what date.

“At the end of the last week of August, the men suddenly started to realise this thing is going south and it’s not going to end well,” said Hattingh. “We’ve got all the evidence,” he added.

He said that the Hawks should investigate the matter.

Hattingh added that they have asked for a joint sitting of the portfolio committee on defence as well as the portfolio committee on Dirco so that “we can get the role players in and ask them the questions and that they can explain to us what they have done”.

Ryan Smith, the DA’s spokesperson on international relations and cooperation, was also at the police station on Thursday. He said Dirco should condemn the situation.

“It’s completely against domestic legislation, but more importantly, in the broader foreign policy space, it has quite dire consequences for South Africa.

“We already know that some of our largest trading partners have serious concerns with South Africa’s proximity to maligned actors on the international stage, such as Russia and Iran, and this just adds fuel to the fire,” said Smith.

Smith said they were also considering making an ethics complaint against Zuma-Sambudla in parliament.

“It’s certainly damaging to South Africa’s ability to leverage what it has deemed dialogue and negotiation between Russia and Ukraine,” said Smith.

Responding to the DA’s charges, Des van Rooyen, MK Party’s acting parliamentary leader, said: “We will only comment after we have received the details of their charges. The details will determine our response as a party.

“That matter is dealt with through the court processes. As the MK in parliament, we haven’t received any detailed information. We can’t comment because the matter is (before) court,” he said.

Cases opened related to ad-hoc committee

Meanwhile, more criminal cases were opened on Thursday related to parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations made by Lieut-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

A group of about 20 MK Party members gathered outside the police station. Van Rooyen said they opened cases against Paul O’Sullivan for intimidating Cedrick Nkabinde while he was testifying at the committee.

He said they also opened charges against Mary de Haas. He said these cases had been opened separately.

“It’s in the public interest to ensure that the integrity of parliament is not compromised by characters who come and lie and intimidate witnesses,” said Van Rooyen on Thursday.

Fadiel Adams, leader of the National Coloured Congress and a member of parliament’s portfolio committee on police, was also at the police station on Thursday.

He said he was there to open cases against former police minister Bheki Cele and Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi.

This is not good cops vs bad cops, it’s bad cops vs worse cops,

—  Fadiel Adams, leader of the National Coloured Congress

“They’ll keep lying and more allegations of corruption will come up. Let’s lay the cases as they appear. People are talking about massive bribes being taken. People are talking about criminals getting state tenders. This will not be the last.

“We’ve got criminals running the police service. These criminals must be removed so that all of us can feel safer. The infiltration [of SAPS] by criminal networks isn’t possible without the buy-in of top management.

“This is not good cops vs bad cops, it’s bad cops vs worse cops,” he added.

This is not the first case that Adams has opened. He previously laid charges against national police commissioner Fannie Masemola.