South African authorities have launched an inquiry following reports that Russian companies are recruiting young women for overseas jobs that may serve as a front for human trafficking and labour exploitation , involving weapons production.
Officials told AP News that social media posts advertised construction and hospitality positions, but in reality, recruits were directed to drone-manufacturing facilities-a pattern previously documented by international investigators.
Emma van der Bult, founder of the Brave to Love Foundation, described how traffickers use trusted messengers to lure vulnerable young people. She told Newsroom Afrika that influencers normalise overseas opportunities before victims find themselves trapped and isolated.