Radio presenter linked to Russian military recruitment remanded in custody

SAfm presenter Nonkululeko Mantula and her four co-accused arrested over allegedly recruiting South Africans to join the Russian military, will remain in custody pending a formal bail application in seven days.

Mantula, 39, and Thulani Mazibuko, 24, Xolani Ntuli, 47, Siphamandla Tshabalala, 23, and Sfiso Mabena, 21, are charged with the contravention of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.

They appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on Monday following their arrest by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) at the weekend.

Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale said the arrests followed a tip-off from OR Tambo SAPS about three men en route to Russia via the United Arab Emirates.

"They were removed from a boarding gate after raising suspicion and referred to the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State (CATS) section.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that a South African woman had been facilitating the travel and recruitment of these individuals into the Russian Federation military,” she said.

The fourth suspect was arrested upon returning from an overseas trip, while the fifth was detained on Saturday.

Search and seizure warrants were executed for the accused, believed to have facilitated the four individuals, as well as another who had already departed for Russia.

“Upon the individual’s arrival at OR Tambo International Airport on November 27, the individual was interviewed, during which further evidence was uncovered,” Mogale said.

This led to the arrest of three additional male suspects on November 28.

She said electronic devices and two backpacks were seized for further investigation.

“Coordination with intelligence and international law-enforcement agencies is ongoing to determine the full extent of the network and any further security threats,” Mogale added.

Their court appearance came as uMkhonto weSizwe member Dudu Zuma-Sambudla has been under scrutiny for allegedly being involved in sending 17 South Africans to Russia, where they were later deployed to the Ukraine war.

She has previously denied all allegations.

MK Party chairperson Nathi Nhleko recently said the party had received a full report from Zuma-Sambudla regarding the widely publicised case of young South Africans reportedly involved in combat operations in Ukraine.

“Comrade Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla confronted the contents of an affidavit provided to the police. She has declared her full cooperation with ongoing investigations by relevant authorities, as a consequence of which she has tendered her resignation from the National Assembly and all public representative responsibilities with immediate effect,” Nhleko said.

Nhleko, a former police minister, said national officials had accepted her resignation in support of her efforts to help ensure the safe return of the affected South Africans.

“It became apparent after the briefing that Comrade Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla is not involved in the Russia–Ukraine matter affecting these young people,” he said.

Cape Times