In a dramatic political development, Brumelda Zuma, daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has been officially sworn into the National Assembly as a member of parliament. The ceremony occurred on Wednesday, with Zuma assuming her position under the banner of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), the opposition party currently led by her father.
This parliamentary appointment comes merely two weeks after her half-sister, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, was compelled to resign from her legislative position following serious allegations of recruiting South African men as mercenaries for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. Zuma-Sambudla has consistently denied these accusations.
Brumelda Zuma’s entry into parliament signals the former president’s continued influence in South African politics and suggests a strategic effort to maintain family representation within the government’s legislative branch. She was inaugurated alongside three other MK party members, whom the party described as bringing ‘substantial experience and unwavering dedication’ to their parliamentary roles.
In her initial statements, Brumelda Zuma emphasized her commitment to ensuring ‘quality public services’ for South African citizens, noting that this focus aligns with her academic background in public administration.
The controversy surrounding her half-sister involves allegations that Zuma-Sambudla deceived 17 South African men into traveling to Russia under false pretenses before they were handed over to Russian mercenary forces operating in Ukraine’s conflict-ridden Donbas region. The South African government has confirmed receiving distress calls from multiple citizens who reportedly joined these mercenary groups.
Among the most prominent accusers is another half-sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, who has filed formal criminal charges against Zuma-Sambudla and two associates. Zuma-Mncube alleges the defendants lured the men to Russia ‘through deceptive means’ and transferred them to a Russian mercenary organization ‘without their informed consent.’ She revealed that eight of the recruited individuals are her relatives.
South African law explicitly prohibits citizens from serving as mercenaries or fighting for foreign military forces without government authorization. Police authorities have confirmed an ongoing investigation into the matter.
Zuma-Sambudla maintains her innocence, claiming in a sworn affidavit that she believed the men were traveling to Russia for ‘legitimate training purposes.’ She concurrently faces separate terrorism-related charges concerning social media posts made during violent protests in 2021, which she also denies.
The MK party emerged as a significant political force after Jacob Zuma established it in 2023 following his rift with current President Cyril Ramaphosa. The party secured third place in last year’s general election and subsequently became the primary opposition party in parliament after the second-largest party joined Ramaphosa’s coalition government.