17 South African men trapped in war-torn Ukraine plead for help to return home

Residential building in Ukraine

Seventeen South African men have reached out to the government for urgent help after finding themselves stranded in the war-torn Donbas region of Ukraine.

The group, aged between 20 and 39, reportedly travelled from KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape after being promised lucrative employment opportunities, only to discover they had been misled into joining mercenary forces involved in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

According to Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, the government has already started working through diplomatic channels to assist the men.

“The South African government is working through diplomatic channels to secure the return of these young men following their calls for assistance to return home,” he confirmed.

Magwenya further stated that President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the exploitation of vulnerable youth by individuals linked to foreign military groups.

“President Ramaphosa and the South African government strongly condemn the exploitation of young, vulnerable people by individuals working with foreign military entities,” he said.

Authorities have since launched an investigation to determine how the men were recruited and sent to Ukraine, as their involvement could violate South Africa’s Foreign Military Assistance Act of 1998.

The Act prohibits citizens and local entities from providing military aid or participating in foreign conflicts without official authorisation from the government.

South Africa has maintained a stance of neutrality since the Russia-Ukraine war began on 24 February 2022.

At the time, President Ramaphosa stated that the conflict should be resolved through dialogue rather than force, saying, “I outlined our position on the conflict that has unfolded as well as our belief that the conflict should be resolved through mediation and negotiation between the parties and, if need be, with the help of agencies that can help bring a solution to the conflict.”

While the country has faced criticism for not condemning Moscow, Ramaphosa insists that South Africa’s diplomatic approach is aimed at promoting peace through negotiation.

The government’s focus now, however, is on bringing home the stranded citizens and holding accountable those who deceived them into joining the frontlines of a foreign war.