Five South Africans have been hauled into court on charges related to their alleged recruitment and involvement in Russia's war with Ukraine. Among them is renowned radio presenter Nonkululeko Mantula, 39, who hosts a popular morning show on SAfm. The arrests come as part of an investigation into how 17 South African men were lured into fighting for Russia.
According to police, the suspects are accused of breaching South Africa's laws governing foreign military involvement. It is illegal for citizens without government authorization to participate in combat or provide support to foreign militaries. The probe was sparked after two daughters of former President Jacob Zuma filed competing police affidavits alleging that their mother, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, had recruited men claiming they would be training as bodyguards.
The alleged recruitment scheme, which involved 17 men including eight relatives of the late president's family, was said to have been carried out by Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube and a co-conspirator, Siphokazi Xuma. The plot allegedly duped them into believing they would be working as bodyguards for the Zumas' MK party.
Meanwhile, Mantula, who also hosted an event in Moscow, is under scrutiny for her alleged ties to Russia. Her social media posts showed her attending events and speaking at gatherings linked to the Brics Journalists Association, a group that has been sanctioned by the EU due to its connections to pro-Russian narratives and disinformation.
Five suspects were remanded in custody after a brief hearing, with proceedings postponed until a bail hearing on December 8. The case is a fresh development in the growing controversy surrounding South Africa's involvement in Russia's war in Ukraine.
According to police, the suspects are accused of breaching South Africa's laws governing foreign military involvement. It is illegal for citizens without government authorization to participate in combat or provide support to foreign militaries. The probe was sparked after two daughters of former President Jacob Zuma filed competing police affidavits alleging that their mother, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, had recruited men claiming they would be training as bodyguards.
The alleged recruitment scheme, which involved 17 men including eight relatives of the late president's family, was said to have been carried out by Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube and a co-conspirator, Siphokazi Xuma. The plot allegedly duped them into believing they would be working as bodyguards for the Zumas' MK party.
Meanwhile, Mantula, who also hosted an event in Moscow, is under scrutiny for her alleged ties to Russia. Her social media posts showed her attending events and speaking at gatherings linked to the Brics Journalists Association, a group that has been sanctioned by the EU due to its connections to pro-Russian narratives and disinformation.
Five suspects were remanded in custody after a brief hearing, with proceedings postponed until a bail hearing on December 8. The case is a fresh development in the growing controversy surrounding South Africa's involvement in Russia's war in Ukraine.
. i mean, i get that Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube thought she was doing the right thing by trying to help out her family members, but breaching our laws is no joke 
. as for Nonkululeko Mantula, i guess we should've seen this coming given her ties to Russia and all 
. it's like, we're supposed to be a neutral country or something, right? 
... i think it's understandable that the authorities are taking action here, but at the same time, isn't it weird that 17 men got lured into fighting for Russia with promises of being bodyguards? sounds like quite the scheme to me 
... Nonkululeko Mantula's got some serious explaining to do, and I'm not just talking about her morning show ratings 
. She was literally dancing with Putin in Moscow - talk about cringeworthy 
. And it's not like she didn't know better, I mean, come on, the EU has been warning people about that Brics Journalists Association for ages! 
. Five guys from South Africa, including some relatives of Jacob Zuma's family, got scammed into fighting for Russia and now they're facing serious charges 
. This is not only a betrayal of trust but also a potential threat to our national security 
. Can't believe the Zumas' own family members got caught up in this mess 
.
I'm not surprised to see SAfm presenter Nonkululeko Mantula among those accused - she's always been super outspoken about her views, and now it seems like that's gotten her into trouble 