The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has formally met with the families of the South African men recently repatriated after being caught in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The meeting on Thursday served as a “humanitarian touchpoint” after the safe return of their family members from the conflict zone, according to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
The department said the Minister expressed the government’s relief regarding the safe return of the citizens, acknowledging the immense distress their families have endured.
“The Minister emphasised that this government intervention was an exceptional measure taken to preserve South African lives,” said the department in a statement on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the South African government, working closely with Russian authorities, had secured the safe return of the men, aged between 20 and 39, after distress calls were received from them seeking assistance to come home.
Ntshavheni confirmed that all 17 men have been released from the contracts they had signed with military contractors
“Fifteen of the men are back in South Africa, while two remain in Russia, with one in a hospital and the other one is being processed before finalising his travel arrangements,” Ntshavheni said.
The South African Embassy in Moscow will continue monitoring the individual who remains in hospital until he has fully recovered and is fit to travel.
Minister Lamola said: “The safety of our citizens abroad is a priority, but we must be clear: the circumstances that led to this situation were highly irregular. Our empathy for the families is matched by our duty to uphold the laws of our Republic.”
The Ministry is deeply concerned by the suspicious circumstances and predatory recruitment tactics used to lure citizens into danger.
“If a job offer abroad sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” the Minister cautioned.
South Africans have been urged to exercise extreme due diligence when pursuing international employment, particularly those involving “security,” “logistics,” or “technical support” in high-risk regions.
The government continues to investigate the networks involved in these recruitment efforts to ensure that those who exploit vulnerable citizens face the full might of the law.
The department said separate to these 17 men, the South African government had been informed that two South Africans have lost their lives on the frontlines and that the families have been informed. – SAnews.gov.za
