Relief for families as four trafficked South Africans return from Ukraine

A member of one of the families whose loved ones were trafficked to Russia to join the war against Ukraine has expressed relief that four of them have returned to South Africa, but the concern is still with those who are yet to return and are still stuck in the war.  

According to former president Jacob Zuma’s relative, Nombuyiselo Mukansi, distressed families would only be completely relieved when all 15 other young men are reunited with them. 

Among the 18 men who were allegedly taken to Russia with a promise to receive security training were the relatives of Zuma. 

In December, Zuma’s sister-in-law, Phumla Zuma, spoke of the pain of having her two sons and grandson stuck in Ukraine. 

Mukansi offered an interview as she said her sister, Phumla, was too exhausted from taking media interviews. 

Mukansi said she was involved in a campaign to get the men back to South Africa.

Among those who touched down at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday were her relatives.

She said they were physically healthy, but they showed signs of being psychologically traumatised.

“They can walk and appear physically fine, but psychologically and emotionally, they are not okay,” said Mukansi.

She said the men required counselling to deal with the trauma of being in a war zone, carrying heavy-duty machine guns, and seeing their fellow soldiers being killed.

“Remember, they were based in a war zone; they participated in the Russia/Ukraine war.

“We are grateful that they are still alive, but we know that emotionally and psychologically, they are not right and there is no way that we can regard them as normal,” said Mukansi.

She said prior to going to Russia, most of the men were not known for handling guns or being involved in any form of violence. 

“But all of a sudden, they are exposed to the most high degree of violence, where they are now in a war zone, seeing dead bodies, handling guns.” 

She said during phone calls with some of the men in Ukraine, they complained about the extreme cold winter.

Mukansi said not all the men were from Nkandla and related to Zuma. 

She said some of the men who spoke while in Ukraine described to their relatives the harsh conditions they were subjected to as “really bad”.

“They were the kind of soldiers that we have never seen in South Africa, as they would say they are digging trenches where they would sleep.

“They would talk of having to run and hide every time drones approach them, as those drones were also guns that would release missiles. 

“I recall that sometime last year, they told us that they would go for a three-hour training, and be only given 20 minutes to take a break and eat before going back to another three-hour training every day, as they would be told that 'we are preparing you for war'.” 

Mukansi stated that the men spent a week without bathing, sleeping on the ground covered in snow.

“Sometimes they would tell us that we might not see them ever again. They told us that they were divided into different battalions, with each battalion having about 20 men, and they would say ‘they are all dead, only two of us survived'.” 

She said that although the return of the four brought hope, the concern was with those who are yet to be repatriated.

She added that their plight was still unclear because “they are still stuck and it is cause for concern to us”. 

Mukansi said the men were still in Ukraine, although they had been disarmed and no longer engaged in the war. 

She believed that maybe they would be moved to Moscow on Sunday, where they would be prepared to fly to South Africa. 

“They are stuck in Ukraine and are unable to buy food because, since they are no longer soldiers, they cannot roam around because they don’t have papers (identity documents) required to confirm who they were, since they were now in civilian clothes. 

“One of them told me last night that there was no food for them. Around 10 this morning (Thursday), they said they are very, very hungry,” said Mukansi.  

bongani.hans@inl.co.za