Jacob Zuma’s Daughter Brumelda Sworn In as MP After Half-Sister’s Resignation
Brumelda Zuma, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, has officially become a Member of Parliament, BBC reports. She joined parliament on Wednesday as a representative of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which is led by her father.
Her appointment comes less than two weeks after her half-sister, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, resigned from parliament following accusations that she tricked 17 South African men into going to Russia as mercenaries to fight in Ukraine. She has denied the allegations, according to BBC.
BBC reports that Brumelda Zuma, who studied public administration, said she wants to focus on making sure South Africans receive “good public services.” MK added that she and three other newly sworn-in MPs bring “experience and dedication” to the party’s work in parliament.
From a unique perspective, BBC’s reporting shows that this move suggests Jacob Zuma wants to keep strong family representation in parliament, especially as MK continues to rise in South African politics.
Brumelda has not been a public figure before, unlike Duduzile, who previously represented South Africa in the Pan-African Parliament, BBC notes.
The controversy involving Duduzile continues to make headlines. BBC reports that South Africa’s government received desperate calls from more than a dozen men, aged 20 to 39, who said they ended up trapped in the war-torn Donbas region of Ukraine after being recruited under “false pretences.”
One of the strongest accusers is another half-sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, who filed a criminal complaint accusing Duduzile and others of luring these men to Russia without proper information, BBC reports. Police have confirmed they are investigating.
South African law makes it illegal to work as a mercenary or fight in another country’s army without government approval. Duduzile maintains in an affidavit that she believed the men were going for “lawful training,” according to BBC. She is also facing terrorism-related charges for her social media posts during the deadly 2021 protests, but she denies wrongdoing.
BBC also highlights the political background: Jacob Zuma formed the MK party in 2023 after a major fallout with President Cyril Ramaphosa. The party finished third in the last election and became the main opposition after the second-largest party joined Ramaphosa’s coalition government.
From a broader perspective, the BBC’s coverage shows how political drama inside one family now intersects with national politics, public trust, and South Africa’s role in global security issues.