'It's outright evil' How men from South Africa ended up fighting for Russia

Mary hasn’t heard from her son since 27 August, when he told her he thought he was being sent to the frontlines of Russia’s war with Ukraine.

- Rachel Savage Johannesburg Pjotr Sauer

Since then she has been ill with worry.“I’m honestly really sick,” she said, exhaustion in her voice. “I get anxiety attacks, I’m in and out of hospital, palpitations. It’s just a whole lot. Headaches, I’m dizzy all the time. It’s not easy for me.”

Her son was part of a group of 17 men from South Africa and two from Botswana who, according to multiple lawsuits, were tricked into fighting for Russia by a daughter of the former South African president Jacob Zuma.

Claims about Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s involvement began to be aired in the media last month after the South African government said it was trying to help citizens stranded in Ukraine.

Then, on 22 November, another of Zuma’s daughters, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, filed a police report alleging that Zuma-Sambudla and two others had deceptively recruited the men.

The accusation sent shock waves through South Africa, where the wider scandal has focused attention on the dire economic situation facing many of its young people. More than 40% of under-35s are not in work or education.

Mary, whose name has been changed, said she and her son were introduced to Zuma-Sambudla when her son was still a child. She said Zuma-Sambudla contacted the family in June with what she presented as an exciting opportunity in Russia.

Some of the men were allegedly told they would be trained as bodyguards for the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, led by Jacob Zuma. Others were allegedly told they could enrol on a personal development programme, after which they could attend a Russian university and even get Russian citizenship.