Minister Ronald Lamola Accuses Jacob Zuma of Trafficking South African Men to Donbas

• The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, discussed the challenges the government faced in repatriating the South Africans stuck in Ukraine
• He spoke after four of the 19 men who were lured to fight for Russia in the Russia-Ukraine war were returned to the country
• Lamola also caused an uproar in Parliament when he accused the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, Jacob Zuma, of being responsible for the alleged trafficking of the men

Tebogo Mokwena, affiliated with Briefly News, covered local and international politics, political analysis, and interviews in South Africa for Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News during his 10 years of experience.

GAUTENG — The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, received sharp criticism in Parliament on 18 February 2026 when he accused uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party president Jacob Zuma of being responsible for the 19 men who are trapped in Donbas in Ukraine. He also explained the difficulties the government encountered in repatriating the South Africans.

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News Live SA posted the clip of Lamola speaking during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) debate in Parliament in the Western Cape. Addressing the house, Lamola said that President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a phone call. He added that Putin and Ramaphosa discussed how they could bring back the boys who Zuma sold to the Russian forces in Donbas. He added that some of the men were on their way back to South Africa. He referred to the four who landed at the OR Tambo International Airport on 18 February.

Lamola’s comment causes outrage in Parliament

Members of Parliament erupted into an uproar following Lamola’s statements. Members of the MK Party, including MP Des Van Rooyen, voiced out their displeasure. Members of the African National Congress berated him. Van Rooyen raised a point of order, and he was heckled and mockingly referred to as “Weekend Special”. This was a reference to his short stint as the Minister of Finance, which only lasted for a weekend during Zuma’s second term as president from 13 to 15 December 2015. Van Rooyen attempted to correct Lamola, but he was jeered by ANC MPs.

View the clip on X here:

Lamola discusses the difficulty in repatriating the men

Speaking to SABC News after four of the 19 men returned to South Africa, Lamola said the exact period for when the rest of the men still in Donbas will be returned. However, he added that the remainder of the men would be repatriated in drabs. He said the government is in contact with the family of the men in Donbas and added that the talks between Russia and South Africa have been positive. Lamola also said that it remains a challenge to rescue the men who are still on the front lines, as they were not recruited directly to the Russian army.

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Zuma sisters plead for Parliament to help return men from Donbas

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s half-sisters pleaded with Parliament to help in returning the men believed to have been trafficked to Donbas.

The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations, Supra Mahumapelo, said he met with the siblings on 1 December 2025. They informed him that the eldest sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, opened a case against Duduzile.

Source: Briefly News