South African citizens get trapped after joining mercenary forces
According to officials, the men, aged between 20 and 39, were recruited under false pretenses of lucrative employment contracts. President Cyril Ramaphosa has “ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of these young men into these seemingly mercenary activities,” a government spokesman said. The statement did not specify which side of the conflict they had joined.
Under South African law, working as a mercenary or engaging in armed conflict on behalf of a foreign power is prohibited unless explicitly authorized by the government.
Government spokesman Vincent Magwenya said that diplomatic efforts are underway to bring the men home, noting that 16 are from KwaZulu-Natal and one from the Eastern Cape. “President Ramaphosa and the South African government strongly condemn the exploitation of young vulnerable people by individuals working with foreign military entities,” he added.
Analysts suggest that South Africa’s high youth unemployment—exceeding 30%—has made many susceptible to recruitment schemes promising quick financial gain.
Reports indicate that Russian-linked entities are expanding their influence in Africa through groups like Africa Corps, a mercenary organization under Russia’s Defense Ministry that has taken over operations once managed by Wagner in West Africa.
Earlier this year, South African authorities also warned young women against fraudulent job offers abroad, particularly in Russia. Investigations found that hundreds of women from Africa and South Asia had been trafficked to work in weapons factories in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone.
Other African countries have faced similar issues. Kenyan police recently rescued over 20 people from a trafficking network that allegedly intended to send them to fight in Ukraine under the guise of employment.
Ukraine has previously acknowledged detaining foreign nationals from countries including Somalia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cuba, and Sri Lanka, and has faced criticism for attempting to recruit Africans for its war effort. In 2022, both Senegal and Nigeria demanded that Kyiv halt recruitment campaigns targeting their citizens.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
