Russia-Ukraine War
Seventeen South African men, aged between 20 and 39, are stranded in Ukraine’s Donbas region after being recruited under false job offers to join the war. The government has launched a full investigation and is under growing pressure to bring them home safely
Seventeen South African men, aged between 20 and 39, are trapped in Ukraine’s Donbas region after being misled into joining a foreign conflict under the guise of lucrative job offers. Many of them were promised work as security contractors, only to find themselves in an active war zone with limited means to escape.
The Presidency has confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered a full investigation into how the men were recruited and sent abroad. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has begun coordinating with the Ukrainian authorities to verify their whereabouts and ensure their safety.
Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on International Relations has called on DIRCO to act urgently, describing the situation as a humanitarian and diplomatic crisis. Chairperson Supra Mahumapelo said the men appeared to have been exploited and urged the state to strengthen laws preventing the recruitment of South Africans into foreign conflicts.
Under South Africa’s Foreign Military Assistance Act of 1998, citizens are prohibited from joining foreign armed forces without government approval. Legal experts have warned that the situation may carry complex implications, as the men were likely unaware that they were violating international combat laws.
Families of the stranded men say they are living in fear, receiving sporadic messages from loved ones who describe dire conditions and a constant threat to their lives.
