South African radio presenter detained for allegedly recruiting fighters for Russia

CAPE TOWN, South Africa A radio presenter from South Africa appeared in court on Monday, accused of recruiting men to join Russian forces in Ukraine. Nonkululeko Mantula, 39, was detained along with four other individuals following a tip-off to local authorities.

Authorities claim Mantula orchestrated the recruitment of these men to fight in the Russian military. Police reported that three of the recruits were apprehended while attempting to board a flight to Russia through the United Arab Emirates, while another is believed to have already traveled there under Mantulas guidance.

South African law prohibits citizens from joining foreign military forces without government approval. The five suspects are being held in custody ahead of a bail hearing scheduled for next week.

Mantula works as a presenter on SAFM, a state-owned radio station. Her arrest comes amid a separate investigation involving Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, who is accused of luring 17 men into fighting as mercenaries in Ukraine. Zuma-Sambudla recently stepped down from her legislative role in her fathers opposition MK Party following these allegations. According to her half-sister, the men were misled into traveling to Russia under the guise of receiving security training that would lead to employment opportunities.

The South African government reported last month that the 17 men were trapped in eastern Ukraine after being forced to fight for a Russian mercenary group. One political party claimed that upon arrival, the mens passports and clothing were confiscated, and their phones were taken.

An official investigation is underway to determine how the South Africans ended up on the front lines, with international agencies collaborating on efforts to bring them home. Russia has been accused of recruiting foreign nationals for the war under the promise of employment and deceiving women from South Africa and other African countries into working in Russian drone factories through social media recruitment campaigns.

The government has urged citizens to exercise caution regarding social media job and study offers in Russia promoted by South African influencers.

Zuma-Sambudla has previously faced criticism for promoting Russian interests in the Ukraine conflict. A 2023 report by the Centre for Information Resilience indicated that her social media activity played a key role in spreading pro-Russian content following Russias invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

Author: Sophia Brooks