Nonkululeko Patricia Mantula, aged 39, who hosts a morning show on South Africa’s state radio network, SAFM, made an appearance in court on Monday following her arrest. She faces charges related to allegedly recruiting South African men to fight for Russia in Ukraine.
The issue of Russian recruitment in South Africa has gained attention recently. In early November, the government initiated an investigation after receiving complaints from families of men who purportedly were lured to Russia with promises of bodyguard training, only to find themselves forced into military service on the front lines in Ukraine.
This kind of recruitment has surfaced in various other nations such as India, Cuba, and Kenya. However, the South African situation escalated into a significant scandal due to the reported involvement of former president Jacob Zuma and his political party, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK).
Last week, South African police revealed that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, Zuma’s daughter, is being investigated for allegedly enticing a man to Russia. This inquiry was initiated after a tip from her half-sister, Nkosazana Bonganyini Zuma Mancube.
Zuma-Sambudla claimed that she, too, had been deceived by the scheme’s orchestrators, who genuinely believed they were offering well-paying bodyguard roles. She also mentioned having received training with the paramilitary group but disclosed that several of the 17 known victims had gone missing shortly after arriving in Russia.
Among the victims are some of Zuma’s extended family members, which Zuma Mancube cited as part of her motivation for filing a complaint against her half-sister.
Jacob Zuma, now 83, has four current wives and numerous children. Zuma-Sambudla had been a prominent member of her father’s MK party until she recently resigned.
Officials from MK stated that her resignation is a step back to facilitate her cooperation with authorities and should not be interpreted as an admission of guilt. Jacob Zuma was present during the announcement but did not make any comments.
Nonkululeko Mantula is known for hosting ‘The Morning Bliss’ on SAFM. The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) characterized her as a “freelance presenter” and noted she had no further comments regarding her ongoing legal issues.
Mantula was arrested along with four men, aged 21 to 46, who were believed to have been recently recruited to fight for Russia, marking the initial arrests in this controversy.
Authorities indicated that three of the detained men were preparing to board a flight to Russia via the United Arab Emirates when they were intercepted. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) stated that they were “removed from the boarding gate after being deemed suspicious.”
The NPA confirmed that Mantula was arrested on suspicion of “facilitating the travel and recruitment of co-accused persons to the Russian Federation’s armed forces.”
Notably, the original charges did not clarify whether the individuals were aware of their military drafting. Prosecutors emphasized that recruiting South Africans for foreign military service is unlawful.
