At least two South Africans have died fighting for Russia in the war in Ukraine after being tricked into traveling there by a recruitment scheme, South Africa’s foreign minister said Thursday.
It was the first time South African authorities had confirmed any of their citizens who were allegedly lured to Russia with false promises of employment or training opportunities had been killed in the war.
Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola didn’t name the two people who died or say when they had died.
His announcement came while he visited the families of 11 South Africans who returned home on Wednesday after they were allegedly recruited in a scheme promising them security training in Russia and ended up involved in the conflict in Ukraine.
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, is being investigated by police for alleged involvement in luring those men to Russia. She denied any wrongdoing but resigned as a lawmaker last year over the allegations.
Lamola said the two people who died were not connected to the group allegedly recruited by Zuma-Sambudla.
Ukraine has said it believes more than 1,700 Africans have been recruited to fight for Russia.
