No update on SA men ‘trapped’ in Russia-Ukraine war, Presidency says talks are under way
Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to President Cyril Ramaphosa, briefing the media and responding to questions on topical issues of public interest at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Image: GCIS
The Presidency said it has no update on efforts to retrieve South African men believed to be trapped in Russia amid the ongoing war with Ukraine, as concerns grow over their safety.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the process to secure their return remains “very sensitive”, warning that the men are in a highly dangerous environment and face serious threats to their lives.
Government, he said, is still engaged in discussions with multiple authorities in an attempt to extract them from harm’s way.
According to Magwenya, diplomatic engagements are focused primarily on the Russian authorities rather than Ukraine.
This comes after news emerged after at least 17 South African men claimed they were recruited, allegedly by Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla and others, for what they believed was bodyguard training linked to the MK Party.
But MKP has distanced itself from the scandal saying it’s a “Dudu matter”.
The men are from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and from the Eastern Cape (EC).
Instead, the men say they were flown to Russia, where they were pressured into signing military contracts written entirely in Russian before being moved toward the front lines of the war in eastern Ukraine.
“The information that we have is that they were bungled into the Russian military forces,” Magwenya said, adding that talks are ongoing to resolve the situation.
The issue, he stressed, remained a top priority for both government and President Cyril Ramaphosa, receiving what he described as the “highest attention” at the executive level.
However, no timeline has been provided, deepening anxiety among families desperate for answers.
The government has urged caution, emphasising that speculation could complicate delicate negotiations and endanger lives.
Beyond the immediate rescue effort, the case has exposed broader concerns about the vulnerability of young South Africans to shadowy recruitment schemes and the limits of state protection once citizens are caught in foreign conflicts.
Zuma-Sambudla had reportedly opened her own case. She also resigned as the MKP MP.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics