MK Party Invoiced R20,000 for 17 Men Trapped in Donbas
- More details about the alleged involvement of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party in the trafficking of the 17 men trapped in Donbas, Ukraine, have emerged
- News24 revealed that an invoice showed that the party was billed for the flight of one of the men who was sent to Russia
- WhatsApp screenshots also show Duduzile's continued communication with them and her alleged intent to recruit a second group of people
With 10 years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics, commissions of inquiry, and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.
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GAUTENG — Despite the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party denying that they are allegedly involved in the trafficking of the 17 South African men to Donbas, more details have emerged that challenge their stance.
News24 has obtained an invoice from a travelling agency, which reportedly charged the MK Party for the travel costs of one of the men who was sent to Donbas in Ukraine. The men were lured under the promises of being trained as bodyguards, which would allegedly be employed by the MK Party.
Travelling company invoices MK Party
The company, Mambrey Travels, which is based in Waterfall, Johannesburg, invoiced the part on 8 July 2025, on the day the men travelled to Russia. This is despite the official opposition holding a press briefing on 28 November, where it denied having anything to do with the men travelling to Russia. Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla resigned as a Member of Parliament, and her resignation was announced at the press briefing.
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Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's role highlighted
News24 also obtained WhatsApp screenshots from a WhatsApp group of which Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla is a member. A screenshot shows a text from Zuma-Sambudla. In the text, Duduzile informs the men that they are to reimburse the amount spent on purchasing travel tickets for the men.
She also announced that the time for a second group to be recruited had come. She added that she met a commander in Pskov who agreed that payment for the tickets would be sent to the party. However, it was erroneously reimbursed to the men. Zuma-Sambudla also acknowledged Blessing Khoza, despite accusing her of scamming her. Zuma-Sambudla directed the men to ask Khoza for assistance in transferring the amount.
Zuma's daughters approach Parliament for help
In a related article, Briefly News reported that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's half-sisters approached Parliament for assistance. This was after former president Jacob Zuma's eldest daughter, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, opened a case against Zuma-Sambudla for her role in the trafficking of the 17 men to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations, Supra Mahmapelo, told the Committee during a sitting on 3 December 2025 that he had met with the sisters on 1 December in Johannesburg. He also said that he spoke to former deputy president Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who knew about the men's predicament.
Source: Briefly News
