JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma has resigned as a lawmaker, her party said Friday, after coming under police investigation for allegedly tricking 17 men into joining a Russian mercenary group fighting in the Ukraine war.
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla had served as a lawmaker since June 2024 for the MK Party, an opposition party led by her father. Jacob Zuma created the party in 2023 following his expulsion from South Africa's then-ruling African National Congress.
Police say they are investigating any role Zuma-Sambudla played in luring the South Africans to Russia after they ended up on the front lines of the conflict in Ukraine.
The South African government said early this month it had received distress calls from 17 South African men, aged 20 to 39, who said they were trapped in Ukraine’s war-torn eastern Donbas region. When they left South Africa, they thought they were going to take up lucrative employment contracts, the government said.
According to police, an affidavit submitted by Zuma-Sambudla’s half-sister, Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube, alleged that Zuma-Sambudla and two other people tricked the South Africans into fighting in the war by promising to provide them with security training in Russia. The identities of the other two people were unclear.
The affidavit alleges the South Africans were handed over to a Russian mercenary group and forced to fight in the war. It also says that eight of the 17 men were members of Zuma-Sambudla's and Zuma-Mncube's extended family.
The South African foreign ministry and police are working with international law enforcement organizations to bring the men home, according to the parliamentary committee on foreign relations.
Nkosinathi Nhleko, the national chairman of the MK party, announced Zuma-Sambudla’s resignation during a press briefing on Friday. He said that Zuma-Sambudla had provided party officials with a report regarding the alleged involvement of young South Africans in military operations in Ukraine.
However, he did not disclose any details, citing the “sensitivity” of the situation. He also denied the party had any involvement in sending the South Africans to Russia. He said the party would engage with the men's families and "support them in their efforts for the return of these young people.”
Zuma-Sambudla is currently on trial on unrelated charges relating to deadly anti-government riots in South Africa in 2021. She has pleaded not guilty to inciting violence through social media posts.
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FILE - Former South African President Jacob Zuma, speaks as his daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, right, listens, during a press conference in Soweto, South Africa, Dec. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)
The Premier League title race was blown open after Arsenal conceded in stoppage time and lost at Aston Villa 2-1 on Sarturday.
Emiliano Buendia struck at the death and stunned first-placed Arsenal.
That allowed second-placed Manchester City to close the gap at the top to two points after beating Sunderland 3-0.
Villa was a point further back in third.
Chelsea could not take advantage, dropping points for the third game in a row in a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth.
Buendia's winner came in the fifth minute of added time at Villa Park where the substitute lifted a shot through a crowded box and into the roof of the net.
“In the manner that happened at the end, obviously, (it is) really difficult to take,” Arteta told TNT Sports.
It was the third successive time that Arsenal has dropped points away from home after draws with Sunderland and Chelsea. Those results have opened the door to rivals such as City and Villa.
Villa's ninth win from its last 10 games followed a dire start to the campaign when Unai Emery's team was winless after five games.
“At the minute we’re on a great run,” said Matty Cash, who put Villa ahead in the 36th. “We know it’s not even Christmas yet so we have to keep being demanding, keep being consistent, and then we’ll see where it takes us.”
Leandro Trossard was a halftime substitute for Arsenal and he made a quick impact by leveling the game seven minutes later.
Buendia went on in the 87th and proved an inspired substitution, lifting a shot past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
“We fight until the last minute, the last second, it was a really incredible win,” Buendia said.
Arsenal's second loss of the season was its first since August at Liverpool.
“We are 18 games unbeaten, and yet still the margin is so small,” Arteta said. “The effort was absolutely there and (we must) use that pain to go again."
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Manchester City's Phil Foden, second left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Sunderland in Manchester, England, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola applauds fans after the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Sunderland in Manchester, England, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Aston Villa players celebrate after Aston Villa's Emiliano Buendia scored his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Aston Villa's Emiliano Buendia, right, celebrates with Aston Villa's Donyell Malen after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Arsenal's Declan Rice reacts after the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Arsenal's Declan Rice reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Arsenal's Leandro Trossard, left, makes an attempt to score during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta follows the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Aston Villa's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, left, makes a save ahead of Arsenal's Bukayo Saka during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
