South African police have opened an investigation into allegations that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma and serving MP for the MK Party, deceived 17 men from South Africa and Botswana into joining Russian mercenary forces in Ukraine.

The complaint was filed by her sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, who alleged that Zuma-Sambudla and two accomplices promised the men—aged 20 to 39—bodyguard training for the MK Party, only to transport them to Russia for combat in the Donbas region. “Among these 17 men are eight of my family members,” Zuma-Mncube said, citing a moral obligation to expose the scheme, which she argued exploits South Africa’s high youth unemployment rate.

The South African Presidency confirmed in August 2025 that it had received distress calls from 17 citizens trapped in Ukraine, lured by promises of lucrative contracts but forced into fighting. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola condemned the recruitment as “unacceptable,” stressing that South African law prohibits citizens from serving in foreign armies without authorization.

Zuma-Sambudla, 43, has not responded to BBC inquiries. She already faces separate treason charges linked to her social media posts during the 2021 unrest following her father’s arrest, which left more than 300 people dead. The MK Party, which disrupted South Africa’s 2024 elections, has denied involvement in the alleged recruitment scheme.

The case underscores the growing risk of mercenary scams targeting economically vulnerable youth in South Africa, where joblessness and desperation are fueling susceptibility to exploitation.