South African Radio Presenter Detained in Alleged Mercenary Recruitment for russia
JOHANNESBURG – A presenter for South Africa’s state broadcaster, SAFM radio, has been arrested on suspicion of recruiting men to fight for Russia in Ukraine, South African police announced today. The presenter, whose name has not been publicly released, was one of three men detained while attempting to board a flight to Russia via the United Arab Emirates. Authorities believe a fourth individual linked to the recruitment effort has already traveled to Russia.
The arrests come as police separately investigate Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla,daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma,for allegedly deceiving 17 men into traveling to Ukraine as mercenaries. Zuma-Sambudla resigned as a lawmaker for her father’s MK Party last week amid the allegations,which claim the men were lured with false promises of security training leading to employment.
According to the South African government, the 17 men who traveled to Ukraine have contacted authorities, reporting they were forced to fight for a Russian mercenary group and are now trapped in eastern Ukraine.Reports allege their passports, clothes, and cellphones were confiscated upon arrival in Russia. The government has launched an investigation into how the men ended up on the front lines and is collaborating with international law enforcement to secure their repatriation.
It is illegal in South Africa to fight in a foreign army without government authorization. The five suspects currently in custody are scheduled for a bail hearing next week.
Russia has been accused of actively recruiting foreign fighters, offering purported job opportunities as a guise for military service. Concerns have also been raised about social media campaigns targeting South African and other African citizens with promises of jobs in fields like catering and hospitality, which allegedly lead to forced labor in Russian drone factories. The South African government has issued a warning urging citizens to be wary of job and study opportunities in Russia promoted by local social media influencers.
A 2023 report by the Center for Details Resilience identified Zuma-Sambudla’s social media account as a key source of pro-Russia messaging following the invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
