In South Africa, investigations reveal a troubling pattern where young men are recruited into mercenary networks linked to the Ukraine war under false pretenses of jobs and security training. The first case involves radio presenter Nonkululeko Mantula, accused of facilitating travel for four men aiming to join a Russian military without government permission. Three were arrested at the airport while trying to fly to Russia, and a fifth had already reached the conflict zone. Meanwhile, Duduzile Zuma, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, is implicated in tricking 17 men into travelling to Russia for similar reasons. The South African government has received distress calls from these men, claiming they are trapped in the Donbas region.
