Five suspects in South African Russia-Ukraine recruitment case expected in court

Five suspects arrested in connection with an ongoing probe into the recruitment of South Africans for the Russia-Ukraine war are expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

They face charges of contravening the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act of 1998.

The suspects were arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks). 

A fifth suspect was taken into custody over the weekend as part of the same investigation.

IOL previously reported that four people had been arrested for allegedly recruiting South African nationals to join the Russian military. 

The Hawks made those arrests on Saturday after receiving a tip-off from OR Tambo International Airport police about four individuals travelling to Russia via the United Arab Emirates. 

The suspects were stopped at the boarding gate and handed over to the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State (CATS) unit for further investigation.

The Hawks confirmed on Sunday that the fifth suspect would join the others in court on Monday.

“Another individual has been arrested by the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State section in relation to an ongoing investigation into how several South Africans were facilitated into involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war,” Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said.

“The suspect will join the other four on Monday, 1 December 2025, in Kempton Park Magistrates’ Court, also facing charges of contravening the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act of 1998.”

Last week, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, resigned as an MK Party MP amid allegations that she was involved in recruiting South Africans to join Russian forces.

Preliminary investigations suggest the recruitment network includes at least one South African woman who allegedly helped coordinate travel for citizens seeking to join the Russian military.

IOL News