A radio presenter from South Africa’s public broadcaster, Nonkululeko Patricia Mantula, has been charged in court for allegedly recruiting men to join the Russian military. Mantula, along with four co-accused individuals, is facing charges for violating a law that prohibits joining a foreign military without authorization. They have not yet entered pleas.
This case is significant as it is the first set of arrests since the South African government revealed in November that 17 citizens had reportedly been lured into joining mercenary forces related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, police have stated that there is no current connection between the recent arrests and the previous claims about the 17 citizens.
Mantula, who is 39 years old and a presenter on The Morning Bliss at SABC’s SAFM, has not publicly commented on her arrest. Her situation coincides with the resignation of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma. Zuma-Sambudla has faced allegations of deceiving the 17 South African men, including relatives of hers, to join Russian forces, which she denies.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) shares that Mantula and her co-accused were apprehended at Johannesburg’s international airport as they attempted to travel to Russia via the United Arab Emirates. The NPA alleges that Mantula had a role in facilitating their travel and recruitment for the Russian military. The accused were remanded in custody after a brief court appearance and are scheduled for another hearing on December 8 for a bail application.
The government’s concern over the recruitment of South Africans for foreign military service has heightened, especially given the country’s high unemployment rate, particularly among youth. Zuma-Sambudla’s resignation followed accusations made by her half-sister, who filed a police complaint regarding the case. The Hawks, South Africa’s elite police unit, is investigating these allegations as a potential crime against the state.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yd91y2250o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss