By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider
President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the return of the men who were tricked into the battlelines in the war between Ukraine and Russia. A case which currently remains under investigation.
The Russian Government worked in tandem with South Africa to secure the safety of these men. This was followed by a distress call made by the 17 men who average the ages between 20-39 years.
Ramaphosa and President of Russia Vladimir Putin had engaged in a phone call on 10 February 2026 in which he pledged his support to getting these men home safely.
Four of the men have arrived safely in South Africa, while eleven of them still await their return to the country, while one of the men have been hospitalised in Russia’s capital, Moscow.
The South African Embassy stationed in Moscow have been closely monitoring the situation, specifically with the individual who is hospitalised.
“President Ramaphosa is closing in on talks with the Russian President to work together to bring back children who were sold to a private company in Southern Russia. As I speak, some of them have already returned” said Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola.
Last year these 17 men were offered what seemed to be a legitimate employment opportunity, instead they were lured into the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Investigations are still being conducted into the matter that led to these men being lured into this war.
Amongst the people accused involve, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla along with two others, as some of the men were misled into the ongoing war with Russia and Ukraine are believed to be members of the Zuma family.
They were conned into believing that they would be receiving security training. The Umkhonto weSizwe Party along with Zuma-Sambudla have continued to deny these allegations as they also claim that they were victims of fraud.
Zuma-Sambudla was also accused by her sister Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube of trafficking family members, claiming that 8 of the 17 were family members.