CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The South African government announced on Thursday that it will launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the recruitment of 17 South African citizens who were deceived into joining mercenary forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These individuals reached out for assistance to escape the fighting in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine after becoming trapped.
According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African men, aged between 20 and 39, were lured into the conflict under the guise of attractive employment contracts. Following their recruitment, the men issued distress calls, indicating that they were in difficulty within Ukraine.
Ramaphosa's spokesperson stated that it remains uncertain which side in the conflict the South African nationals were actually aligned with. However, Russian forces have faced accusations of recruiting individuals from various countries under false pretenses of job opportunities. Furthermore, allegations have emerged that Russia has misled women from South Africa and other African nations into working in drone manufacturing plants through social media campaigns that promised jobs in catering and hospitality sectors.
The South African government expressed strong condemnation against the exploitation of vulnerable young individuals by actors associated with foreign military entities. A statement from Ramaphosa’s office reaffirmed that the government is actively utilizing diplomatic channels to facilitate the repatriation of the 17 men back to South Africa.
Other countries, including India and Nepal, have reported similar instances of their citizens being recruited to engage in the conflict on behalf of Russia under the allure of employment. In addition, Ukraine has made claims about Russia employing mercenaries from various African nations and beyond in the ongoing war.
In an investigation by the Associated Press last year, it was revealed that hundreds of women from Africa were deceived into working at a drone facility located in Tatarstan’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone, a considerable distance from Moscow, as Russia faced an urgent shortage of labor due to the war. This situation serves as a stark example of the vulnerabilities faced by individuals in search of employment opportunities abroad.
This past August, the South African government issued a public warning directed toward young women, advising them to remain vigilant against misleading advertisements propagated by social media influencers in South Africa. The government emphasized the importance of being cautious when encountering job offers that appear too good to be true, particularly those related to opportunities in Russia.
The evolving situation surrounding the recruitment of foreign nationals into the conflict underscores broader concerns about predatory practices targeting vulnerable populations. As nations work to safeguard their citizens, the South African authorities' proactive measures may help in averting similar incidents in the future.
