South Africans have a favorable view of Russia and support its policies, the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma told RT on Saturday. Duduzile Sambudla-Zuma made the assertion while commenting on a recent report claiming that she has been spreading pro-Russian hashtags on Twitter.
Speaking to RT, Sambudla-Zuma, a popular influencer in South Africa, confirmed that she has indeed been posting such content, stressing, however, that in doing so she is merely expressing her opinions as a private individual.
“I stand by Russia and I stand by President Putin” Sambudla-Zuma said, insisting that she is “not being paid by Moscow” for expressing such opinions. She added that she believes many in South Africa and further afield share her views.
Earlier this week, a UK-based non-profit organization, the Centre for Information Resilience, issued a report suggesting the ex-president’s daughter has been spreading and amplifying pro-Russian hashtags and memes online.
Sambudla-Zuma argued that the West is becoming ever more anxious as Russia asserts itself more boldly, winning over the hearts of people in Africa and elsewhere around the world.