JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- The South African Presidency said on Thursday that it had received information about 17 South Africans, aged between 20 and 39, who are reportedly "trapped" in the war-torn Donbas region of Ukraine. Government efforts are underway to assist and repatriate the stranded citizens.
"The South African government is working through diplomatic channels to secure the return of these young men following their calls for assistance to return home," said the Presidency in a statement.
According to the statement, the group -- 16 from KwaZulu-Natal and one from the Eastern Cape -- had traveled to the region after being lured by promises of lucrative job opportunities. President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into how the young men ended up in the conflict zone.
The Presidency said the individuals were deceived into joining mercenary groups involved in the Ukraine-Russia conflict under the guise of employment contracts. It also stressed that South African law prohibits citizens from participating in foreign armed conflicts.
Ramaphosa condemned the exploitation of South Africans by individuals "working with foreign military entities."
This is not the first such incident. In August, the government warned citizens against traveling to countries such as Russia after social media influencers promoted high-paying study and work opportunities there. Earlier in March, South Africa confirmed the return of 23 nationals rescued from a human trafficking syndicate in Myanmar. They were among about 7,000 people from several countries lured abroad with false job offers. ■