DA Lays Charges Against Dudu Zuma-Sambudla for Trafficking Men Trapped in Ukraine
- The DA has laid fresh charges, amongst them, of human trafficking, against Dudu Zuma-Sambudla at the Cape Town Central Police Station
- The charges stem from Zuma-Sambudla's alleged role in the recruitment of 17 South Africans currently stranded in war-torn Ukraine
- The DA said that new evidence has come to light linking Zuma-Sambudla to tricking the youngsters into fake security and bodyguard skills training in Russia
Source: Getty Images
CAPE TOWN- The Democratic Alliance's Spokesperson on Defence and Military, Chris Hattingh has filed criminal charges against MK Party member Dudu Zuma-Sambudla at the Cape Town Police Station on Thursday, 27 November 2025.The charges relate to allegations that Zuma-Sambudla and others were involved in recruiting 17 South African men to fight the war in Ukraine under the guise of taking them to skills training in Russia.
According to Chris Hattingh, the allegations suggest that Zuma-Sambudla misled these young men by promising them bodyguard and security training in Russia. However, upon arrival, the men reportedly had their passports and cell phones confiscated, were forced to sign documents in Russian, and were taken to the Donetsk region of Ukraine.
"I have over 100 WhatsApp messages from a WhatsApp group created for the young men and Dudu Zuma-Sambudla. I have been in contact with families, and everyone tells the exact same story, being that the young men were lured into Russia for personal development and security training. One mother said they were very excited as these men were promised they would get Russian or any citizenship they would like to have," said Hattingh
In addition to the criminal charges, the DA is calling for an immediate ethics investigation into Zuma- Sambudla. The DA assert that she has abused her position and breached her oath of office, as well as Parliament's ethical rules. The DA has requested intervention from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and state security to assist the men.
"This is a chilling case of the powerful preying on the vulnerable. The promise of a job was a death trap, and an MP stands accused of holding the door open," said Hattingh.
MK Party's response to the serious allegations
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The MK Party has not issued an official statement regarding the accusations. However, spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela was approached by reporters and neither confirmed nor denied the allegations.
"We are dealing with people's children and families, so by virtue of that and the case that has been opened and investigated by the Hawks, I think it is better to allow that process to unfold. Comrade Dudu has opened her own case and states categorically what transpired. Let's allow the diplomatic channels to take their course," he said
Ndhlela clarified that this situation is not an MK Party matter but rather a personal issue for Dudu, and therefore, he could not comment on her behalf. The MKP is scheduled to hold a press conference on Friday, November 28, 2025, to formally address the situation.
The family of a man trapped in the Ukraine speak out
In previous news, Briefly News reported that a relative of the Zuma family was among the 17 men trapped in Ukraine. The family of the 19-year-old said they had reservations about the training, which Zuma- Sambudla said was bodyguard training with the promise of working for the MK Party. The family also alleged that Zuma-Sambudla failed to answer any of their questions about their sons' whereabouts.
Source: Briefly News
