Hawks investigating Duduzile Zuma for allegedly manipulating 17 SA men to assist Russian army

The Hawks are investigating alleged July 2021 unrest instigator and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party member of Parliament (MP), Duduzile Zuma, for allegedly manipulating 17 South African men to fight in the frontlines for Russia in its ongoing conflict against Ukraine.

This comes after Duduzile's older sister opened a case against her at the Sandton Police Station, accusing her of misleading the men into a dangerous situation.

According to a News24 report, the men were told they were being sent to Russia for security training, following which they would be hired to guard high level MK Party leaders.

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Duduzile has since opened a case of her own, saying she was also scammed by someone else into recruiting the men under false pretences.

The Hawks’ spokesperson, Thandi Mbambo, said both statements from the sisters are being investigated jointly for possible cases of human trafficking, fraud and illegal recruitment.

"The DPCI [Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation] remains in contact with the complainants and family members as part of the investigative process, and updates will be provided where appropriate without compromising the integrity of the investigation. Upon finalisation of the investigation and the gathering of all relevant evidence, the docket will be submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for a decision.”