The Head of Public Diplomacy at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Clayson Monyela, has advised young people, particularly girls, to be cautious of unverified foreign job offers.
Some of these job opportunities are being promoted by influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
“Human trafficking syndicates are luring people into all sorts of illegal activities under slave-life conditions. If something looks too good to be true, get a second opinion. Contact the department or any of our embassies in the country of interest,” he said.
This follows the backlash faced by influencer and DJ Cyan Bujee, whose real name is Honour Zuma, for promoting the Alabuga Start programme in Russia.
Alabuga Start describes itself as an international programme designed for young women aged 18 to 22 from countries in Africa, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia. It provides them with the opportunity to relocate to Russia and develop their careers.
Currently, the programme offers seven career tracks, including catering, service and hospitality, production operator, driver, installation work, finishing work, and logistics.
According to an investigation by the Associated Press (AP), young women are lured to Russia with promises of plane tickets, education, higher salaries, and the chance of a “European” adventure.
However, they often find themselves working at a drone manufacturing plant in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan, Russia, alongside students as young as 16 years old.
According to the AP, women aged 18 to 22 have been targeted from countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, as well as from Sri Lanka and Latin America in response to a domestic labour shortage caused by wartime casualties and mass emigration.
“Most of the women interviewed by AP said that life at Alabuga did not meet their expectations. Four of the women interviewed said they had to work shifts of up to 12 hours and that they had inconsistent days off,” The Moscow Times reported.
Bloomberg reported that the Alabuga zone has been accused in three research reports from organisations, including the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), of deceiving African women into working at the plant that assembles Shahed 136 kamikaze drones.
Meanwhile, the Justice, Crime Prevention, and Security Cluster has warned young people against illegitimate and unverified opportunities targeting women and announced an investigation into these issues.
“The video clip circulated by a social media influencer, which purports to promote a two-year-long ‘Start program’ targeting young women in acquiring professional skills and commencing their careers, is currently under investigation.
“Notably, the author of the post has since removed the promotional video from her social media platforms,” the statement read.
The cluster has advised job seekers not to depend solely on social media promotions.
It said it was important to cross-check information and seek a second opinion from a trusted source.
The cluster encouraged young people to verify job opportunities through official channels, including the DIRCO, and to contact South African embassies in the countries where these opportunities are located. – SAnews.gov.za
