Nine foreign nationals were arrested on Sunday, 8 November, over alleged plans to travel from South Africa to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The arrests took place at OR Tambo International Airport and a hotel in Bruma, according to an eNCA report published on Monday that attributes the account to Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale.
The suspects are aged between 20 and 26. The report says an intelligence-led operation followed a joint investigation involving Interpol, the Hawks in Germiston, SAPS Crime Intelligence and other law-enforcement teams.
They are expected to face charges under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act and to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court. The source report does not establish a completed court appearance or a finding of guilt.
Archive photograph: the South African flag, photographed on 31 October 2008, not an arrest, airport or military scene. Photo: Chris Eason / Wikimedia Commons. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_South_Africa.jpg . Licence: CC BY 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ . Cropped and resized for display.
