SA court remands SABC radio DJ over alleged Russia military work

Key topics:Five South Africans arrested for allegedly joining Russia’s military.Zuma’s daughter linked to recruitment, resigns from parliament.Investigation ongoing; authorities tracking broader recruitment network..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..By Antony Sguazzin.South African police arrested a fifth suspect on suspicion of being en route to Russia in contravention of the country’s laws against assisting foreign military forces. “Another suspect has been arrested by the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State in relation to the ongoing investigation into how several South Africans were facilitated into involvement” in Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to a statement from the elite law-enforcement unit focused corruption and other serious crimes. The four earlier suspects were apprehended at the OR Tambo airport near Johannesburg on Friday. Their travel and recruitment had allegedly been facilitated by a South African female who wasn’t identified.The five men will face charges in a magistrate’s court on Monday of contravening South Africa’s Foreign Military Assistance Act. Working as a mercenary or fighting on behalf of another government, or assisting their military, has been a crime in South Africa since 1998..Read more:.Zuma’s daughter faces probe over recruiting South Africans for Russia war.The arrests come a week after Bloomberg reported that a group of about 20 young men from South Africa and Botswana had been tricked into fighting for Russia against Ukraine after being approached by Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a daughter of former President Jacob Zuma. Zuma-Sambudla didn’t answer a call to her phone on Saturday.Their families said the men had been told they would train in Russia as bodyguards to work for Jacob Zuma’s political party, but upon arrival had been forced to sign contracts with the Russian military. Zuma-Sambudla resigned on Friday as a member of South Africa’s parliament for the uMkhonto weSizwe party amid increasing media scrutiny about the stranded men.“The individuals were intercepted and removed from the boarding gate after being flagged as suspicious” while preparing to board a flight to the United Arab Emirates before an onward journey to Russia, the Hawks said of Friday’s arrests. The South African Broadcasting Corp. said one of those arrested is a prominent media personality, without identifying them. The Hawks said two other people are being sought. “Coordination with intelligence structures and international counterparts is ongoing to determine the full extent of the network and any further potential security threats,” the Hawks said..© 2025 Bloomberg L.P.

SA court remands SABC radio DJ over alleged Russia military work

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