Four have already arrived in the country, 11 will join them soon while two others will remain in the Russian Hospital where they are being treated.

Ramaphosa welcomed the return of the South African men who were lured into the battle lines between Russia and Ukraine by South African elements that remain under investigation.

The South African government working closely with the Russian government has secured a safe return of the men. This followed receipt of distressed calls for assistance to return home from seventeen (17) South African men between the ages of 20-39 years.,” he said.

Ramaphosa expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Putin who responded positively to his call to support the process of returning the men home.

“Mr Putin had pledged his support during a telephone call with President Ramaphosa held on the 10th of February 2026. Out of the seventeen men, four are already back in the country, while eleven will be on their way home soon. Two remain in Russia with one in a hospital in Moscow, while the other one is being processed before finalising his travel arrangements.

“The South African embassy in Moscow will continue to monitor the individual that is in hospital until he has fully recovered to travel. The investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of these young men into mercenary activities is ongoing,” he said.

The 17 men were lured in August last year where they were promised a two year learnership after completing their learnership programme.

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The South African National Defence Force (SANDF), through the Joint Operations Division deployed the South African Air Force (SAAF) to provide the rotary wing air support as part of Operation Chariot in Mozambique.

Mozambique is currently experiencing one of its worst flooding disasters triggered by heavy rains that began in mid-December 2025 and intensified around early January 2026.

Mozambique’s Southern and Central Provinces, such as Maputo, Gaza, Zambezia to name a few, have been amongst the hardest hit areas, destroying crops, causing severe damage to infrastructure and leaving thousands of families displaced.

SAAF Corporate Communication Officer, Major Lebogang Phakathi said the main mission of the SAAF is to conduct Search and Rescue (SAR) operations and provide humanitarian assistance in response to flood related disaster in the affected Southern and Central parts of Mozambique.

“On Tuesday, one Oryx, a medium-lift helicopter and two A109 Augusta light utility helicopters were deployed on an aerial reconnaissance mission to assess the extent of the damage and locate stranded civilians in the Palmeira area, in the Maputo Province.

“Despite adverse weather conditions, SA Air Force Aircrews executed successful rescue operations and managed to evacuate a total of 224 individuals from the flooded area to safety. This operation forms part of an ongoing disaster relief effort to support Mozambique during this humanitarian crisis,” said Phakathi.

He said the SAAF continued commitment and tireless efforts underscore South Africa’s enduring commitment to regional stability and cooperation under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) framework.

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The delay followed immigration verification challenges, with officials saying the travellers had not provided information about how long they planned to stay in South Africa or where they would be staying. Despite the initial setback, authorities confirmed that 23 other members of the group had already continued on to other destinations.

The group arrived on a chartered Global Airways flight from Kenya, landing shortly after 8am. After receiving confirmation that Gift of the Givers would cover accommodation and care for the refugees, Home Affairs approved their entry.

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