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In brief
- The men were trapped fighting in Ukraine’s Donbas region after allegedly being tricked into joining mercenary forces.
- South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa thanked his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for helping secure their return.
Eleven South African men, who were reportedly enticed into joining Russian forces in Ukraine, have finally made their way back home. This group was part of a larger contingent of 17 individuals who appealed for assistance from the South African government last November, finding themselves ensnared in the intense conflict of Ukraine’s Donbas region after allegedly being misled into enlisting as mercenaries.
Recently, four of these men touched down in Johannesburg, marking their safe return. Meanwhile, two others remain in Russia, with one currently hospitalized, as confirmed by South African authorities.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed gratitude towards Russian President Vladimir Putin for facilitating the return of these men. In a statement, Ramaphosa’s office noted, “The investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of these young men into mercenary activities is ongoing.”
Upon their arrival at King Shaka International Airport in KwaZulu-Natal, observers witnessed the men, one of whom was in a wheelchair, being escorted by police to a secure area. They carried their belongings, relieved to be back on South African soil.
“The investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of these young men into mercenary activities is ongoing,” Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement.
Reporters saw the men — including one in a wheelchair — exiting King Shaka International Airport in the coastal KwaZulu-Natal province, with their luggage and escorted by police to a holding area.
Local television reported that family members waiting at the airport broke down as they saw the men disembark.
The war sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has drawn in mercenaries on both sides, including from several African countries.
Ukraine said on Wednesday that more than 1,780 citizens from 36 African countries had been identified among Russia’s ranks, and that some of them had been captured.
Reports in South African media said the men were allegedly sent to Russia for security guard training by the opposition MK party, which is headed by former president Jacob Zuma — South Africa’s leader between 2009 and 2018.
One of Zuma’s daughters, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, resigned from parliament after claims she was involved in recruiting the men to join Russian forces.
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