(MENAFN- Live Mint) One of former South African President Jacob Zuma's daughters is facing legal action over her role in recruiting men from South Africa to serve in Russian forces in its war against Ukraine.

A group of about 20 young men approached by Duduzile Zuma, a South African lawmaker, traveled to Russia in July after being told they would train as bodyguards to work for Jacob Zuma's political party, Bloomberg reported last week. They signed military contracts written entirely in Russian, were sent to the frontlines in Ukraine and lost contact with their families in August, according to the some of their relatives.

Nkosazana Zuma-Ncube, another of Zuma's daughters, opened a criminal case against Duduzile Zuma and two other individuals for luring the men to Russia under false pretenses and handing them over to a mercenary group to fight in the Ukraine war without their knowledge or consent, the South African Police Service said in a statement. Charges are still to be determined through an investigation, the police said.

Duduzile Zuma didn't answer calls to her mobile phone seeking comment.

The men's plight first came to light after President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered a probe into how South African citizens were recruited to fight as mercenaries in Russia's war against Ukraine.

In a Nov. 6 statement, Ramaphosa's office said 17 South Africans stuck in the Donbas region of Ukraine had contacted South Africa's government seeking help.

Duduzile Zuma has previously been tied to Russian campaigns on social media, where she posted support on the X platform for Russian President Vladimir Putin, showed pictures of herself in Russia and her father with Putin, and denigrated Ramaphosa.

She is currently on trial on charges of treason for inciting violence on social media in 2021, when about 350 people were killed in riots after her father was sent to prison for contempt of court.

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©2025 Bloomberg L.P.

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