MK Party says Zuma Sambudla's resignation is not an ‘admission of guilt’, amid trafficking allegations
Former Jacob Zuma’s daughter Duduzile Zuma Sambudla has resigned as a Member of Parliament for the MK Party.
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The MK Party says the resignation of former president Jacob Zuma's daughter Duduzile Zuma Sambudla as a Member of Parliament is not an “admission of guilt” or the result of the organisation finding her guilty of any wrongdoing.
During a media briefing in Durban on Friday, the party's Nathi Nhleko said she submitted her resignation on Friday after speaking to the party's leadership.
The announcement comes after it was reported that Zuma Sambudla had been linked to the alleged trafficking of South Africans to Russia to fight in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Mercury has reported that 17 South Africans, mostly from KwaZulu-Natal, are said to be trapped in that conflict and are desperate to return home. A mother of one of the men has pleaded for help from the government.
Speaking at the media briefing, MK Party head of the presidency Magasela Mzobe said she had resigned from her position in order to focus on helping the South Africans return home.
“Comrade Dudu was never forced to resign. She volunteered to resign because she wanted to focus on helping families return their loved ones. The resignation has got nothing to do with an admission of guilt or the organisation finding her guilty.
“It is her as a disciplined member of MK and a leader realising that there is this question that the country needs to resolve of returning those young people safely home and she requested that she be recused from responsibilities and focus on co-operating fully with all organs of the state that want to find the truth and return those South Africans safely,” he said.
The Mercury reported that the Hawks are investigating a case opened against Zuma Sambudla by her sister Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma Mncube regarding the recruitment of the South Africans. The two others named in the matter are Siphokazi Xuma, and Blessing Khoza.
Zuma Mncube said in a statement that some of those trapped in Ukraine are family members.
In response to the case, Zuma Sambudla had said in an affidavit that she had been a victim in the matter and that Khoza had been recruiter.
The DA formally laid charges against the MK Party member on Thursday saying it had new evidence linking Zuma Sambudla to the alleged trafficking.
Chris Hattingh, DA spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans, said the DA had new evidence around the matter including around 100 WhatsApp messages from a group allegedly administered by Zuma-Sambudla.