Anele Mdoda slams Russian job programme
The controversial Russian Alabuga Start Programme continues to spark outrage in South Africa after it was promoted by local influencers, including Cyan Boujee.
On Tuesday morning, 26 August 2025, Anele Mdoda and her team on Anele and the Club on 947 decided to phone the programme directly to get answers, and what they discovered left them deeply concerned.
During the live call, Anele pointed out several red flags.
She expressed alarm at how the campaign specifically targets young women between the ages of 18 and 22, many of whom are vulnerable due to unemployment and lack of opportunities.
“You are targeting the most vulnerable in society. It is really no secret that in South Africa, women and children are the most endangered species on the continent. You know that economically, women are going through a lot. So, you target 18 to 22-year-olds, and some of them have already deemed themselves failures because they did not go to varsity or they barely passed matric. All of a sudden, somebody comes and says, ‘Housing and jobs.’ We have got the highest youth unemployment in the world,” she said.
She further criticized the use of influencers in the campaign, suggesting that their flashy lifestyles are misleading to young girls.
“You use influencers who portray a life of success. We do not know how those girls make their money, and I am not here to judge Cyan Boujee and how she makes her money. But all of a sudden, I am involved because you already know your life is being funded dubiously. All of the things you have are not for somebody who works an 8-to-5,” Anele remarked.
The team found it suspicious that the promotional videos never explained what the job actually entails.
After making several calls to numbers associated with the programme, many went unanswered or were cut short when English was spoken.
Eventually, one person responded, claiming that the programme offers young women the chance to travel to Russia, gain skills, work in factories, study, and receive free housing.
He insisted the working environments were safe and said the duration of the programme could be up to two years.
Listeners also weighed in, with one caller named Amanda warning of similar recruitment tactics used elsewhere.
She recalled how her cousin accepted a job offer in Thailand after being promised R10,000 upfront, only to be left stranded.
“The process was done via WhatsApp,” Amanda explained.
“When she got there, they told her that her accommodation ticket was not valid. She was stuck without a place to stay, so they deported her back to South Africa. However, the airline held her passport. This boss got upset with her, asking why she went back.” She added that her cousin was later moved to Myanmar, where working conditions were described as dangerous and exploitative.
The revelations have only deepened suspicion that the Russian programme may be a front for trafficking vulnerable young women.
— Thee Zulu Barb.🇿🇦 (@KnockwonderK) August 26, 2025
