• South Africa confirms 17 citizens trapped in Ukraine after joining mercenary forces.
• The men, aged 20-39, were allegedly deceived by false job offers.
• President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered a government investigation.
• Government spokesman condemns exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
• High youth unemployment in South Africa is cited as a factor in recruitment.

South Africa's government has confirmed receiving distress calls from 17 citizens who joined mercenary forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These men, aged between 20 and 39 years, are currently trapped in the war-torn Donbas region. President Cyril Ramaphosa has initiated an investigation into how these individuals were recruited, emphasizing that they were lured with the false promise of lucrative employment contracts, according to Reuters, BBC, and Africanews.

The South African law prohibits citizens from participating in foreign military activities without governmental approval. According to government spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, 16 of the trapped men are from KwaZulu-Natal and one from the Eastern Cape. The government is currently engaging through diplomatic channels to secure their return, while condemning the exploitation of vulnerable youth, as highlighted by Reuters and BBC.

This incident comes amid rising concerns regarding Russia's recruitment of African individuals, particularly after the dissolution of the Wagner Group. Analysts suggest that the soaring youth unemployment rate in South Africa, exceeding 30%, makes young citizens susceptible to such illegal recruitment efforts, according to Africanews and BBC.