This was announced by MK party national chairperson Nathi Nhleko on Friday.
uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former president Jacob Zuma, has stepped down from her position in Parliament.
The announcement was made on Friday by the MK party’s national chairperson, Nathi Nhleko.
Zuma-Sambudla’s departure follows allegations that she was involved in recruiting young South African men who allegedly ended up in the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
Her half-sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, opened a case at the Sandton police station, accusing her of being behind the recruitment of the men who were sent to Ukraine under the guise of VIP protection training.
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Zuma-Sambudla filed her own complaint, alleging that an individual named Blessing Khoza misled her into believing she was facilitating non-combat security training in Russia.
Both matters are currently being investigated by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), known as Hawks.
Additionally, the DA has laid charges, including human trafficking, violations of anti-mercenary laws, and contraventions of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla resigns as MK party MP
Addressing the media on Friday, Nhleko said Zuma-Sambudla had pledged full cooperation with investigators and chose to step aside from her parliamentary duties to do so.
“Comrade Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has tendered her resignation from the National Assembly and all public representative responsibilities with immediate effect.
“The national officials have accepted comrade Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla’s decision to resign and support her efforts to ensure that these young South Africans are brought back safely,” he said.
Nhleko emphasised that the MK party had no role in sending any South Africans to participate in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which began in February 2022.
He added that the party’s national high command (NHC) would engage with the families of the affected men to “explain our position” and assist in the efforts to bring them home.
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“We call on all of our members and the public at large to treat this matter with the sensitivity it deserves and to support the families in this difficult time.
“It is for these reasons that the detail of this particular matter cannot be ventilated in full, and we should all respect that,” Nhleko said.
Responding to questions, Nhleko emphasised that the party was limited in what it could disclose publicly.
“We have to respect the process that is being undertaken by the respective authorities,” he reiterated.
Watch the MK party’s media briefing below:
Nhleko cautioned that answering detailed questions about Zuma-Sambudla’s alleged involvement or the number of South Africans stuck abroad could risk self-incrimination.
“You can’t ask somebody to implicate herself, particularly when the matter in its entirety is subjected to investigation.
“At an appropriate time, we’ll then get to know how the investigation is going and what conclusions have been arrived at.”
Resignation not an admission of guilt
MK party’s head of the presidency, Magasela Mzobe, also told the media that Zuma-Sambudla would not be responding to further media queries, saying her police affidavit contained the details.
Mzobe insisted the case should not be politicised.
“We should really, really avoid the temptation to use this matter as a political matter. Comrade Duduzile was never forced to resign.
“She volunteered to resign because she wanted to focus on helping families return their loved ones. Now, it ends there. There is really nothing.”
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He added that she waited for the MK leadership’s approval before submitting her resignation.
“So as far as we know, the resignations have nothing to do with admission of guilt or the organisation finding her guilty.
“It’s her, as a disciplined member of the MK party, and the leader realising that there is this question that the country needs to resolve of returning those young people safely at home.
“And she has requested that she be recused from responsibilities and focus on cooperating fully with all organs of the state to find the truth and protect those South Africans.”
Zuma-Sambudla’s legal foes
These allegations add to Zuma-Sambudla’s existing legal challenges.
She is currently standing trial in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) High Court in Durban, facing charges of incitement of violence and terrorism.
The matter is linked to the deadly July 2021 unrest that left more than 300 people dead and caused billions of rands in damage in KZN and Gauteng following her father’s incarceration.
The trial will resume on 24 April 2026.
She also drew attention this year for directing insults at then-MK secretary-general Floyd Shivambu on social media.
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