- South Africans who went to Russia ended up in Ukraine
- They say they were recruited under false pretenses
- Conditions for them in Ukraine are harsh, they say
- They describe a lack of food and medical care
South African father-of-three Dubandlela was overcome with pride when his 20-year-old son signed up in July to receive elite training as a VIP bodyguard in Russia.
Five months later, Dubandlela is in despair. His son had fallen for an alleged recruitment scam in which he and at least 16 other South African men say they were conscripted by an unspecified mercenary group and sent to join Russian forces in Ukraine.
…
The scam that Dubandlela said ensnared his son came to light on November 6, when South Africa said it had received distress calls from 17 men aged between 20 and 39 who said they were trapped in Donbas.
An investigation into the scam by an elite police unit known as “Hawks” focused on the alleged involvement of one of former President Jacob Zuma’s daughters, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla.
Zuma-Sambudla later resigned as lawmaker in the Umkhonto weSizwe opposition party led by her father. She has denied knowing of the scam. Zuma-Sambudla did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Her lawyer, Dali Mpofu, declined to comment.
…
It is not just South Africans who unwittingly ended up in Ukraine’s war. Kenya said on Nov. 12 over 200 of its citizens were fighting for Russia in Ukraine, and that recruiting agencies were still actively working to lure more Kenyans into the conflict. Authorities in Botswana have said two men were duped into joining the war under false promises of jobs.
…
Ukraine’s foreign minister said last month that more than 1,400 citizens from three dozen African countries were fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. Russia does not provide details of non-Russians fighting in Ukraine.
…