SANDU says ‘worrying’ that South Africans recruited to fight in foreign wars
The South African Defence Union says it is worrying that citizens are being recruited to
fight in foreign wars.
National Secretary Pikkie Greef says not only is such involvement banned under the Foreign Military Assistance Act, but it also creates serious diplomatic risks.
He spoke ahead of the scheduled court appearance of five South Africans linked to Russian military activity.
They are expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court in Gauteng on Monday.
The suspects were arrested at OR Tambo International Airport last week, with some of them taken into custody while allegedly en route to join the military in Russia.
“What the offence is, is if you partake in combat activities or in war, or you assist in a logistical capacity or finance armed conflict and offering to do so is an offence. And recruiting someone to do so is an offence. They are quite serious charges, and the act provides that you can be fined or imprisoned.
“I think what would probably be mitigation in their case is that they never made it there. At worst, they will probably be found guilty of offering assistance by signing contracts.”
He explained that if someone wants to join a foreign military, permission needs to be sought.
“ There is a procedure in that is the Act where you go to a committee, which deals with the export of weapons, et cetera, but they are also empowered by the act to provide a person, through a process and consideration, with a referral to the minister whether she should allow the person to exempt him from the act or not.”
Greef said some South Africans have recently been linked to the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, and Russia.
He added that low pay in the SANDF prompts highly skilled soldiers to seek better-paid opportunities overseas.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has ordered investigators to probe how South African men were recruited into suspected mercenary roles in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Seventeen men, 16 of whom are from KZN, are said to be trapped in the volatile Donbas region after being duped with promises of high-paying security jobs.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told News24 the men made distress calls, prompting urgent diplomatic action.
