President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Tuesday that 11 of the 17 South African men who were lured under false pretences into fighting in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, will soon make their way home.

The South African government said it has been working closely with the Russian government to secure the safe return of the men.

Ramaphosa expressed "heartfelt gratitude" to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his assistance in the matter and reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict through negotiation.

Spokesperson to the President Vincent Magwenya said Putin pledged his support to the men returning home during a telephone call with Ramaphosa earlier this month.

Last year, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation confirmed that 17 South Africans were stranded in the Donbas area after allegedly being lured to fight in the Ukraine-Russia conflict under false pretences.

Media reports had indicated that the 17 men between the ages of 20 and 39 years were South Africans, mainly from KwaZulu-Natal, and were tricked into believing they were to receive “skills training” in Russia but ended up on the war front with Ukraine.

The Hawks and the South African Police Service are investigating the recruitment process.

Ramaphosa had received distressed calls for assistance from the 17 South African men.

Four men arrived back in the country last week, while two remain in Russia; one is hospitalised in Moscow and the other is undergoing administrative travel processing.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance has laid criminal charges against uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) member Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla for the alleged mercenary recruitment.

The investigation revolves around allegations of human trafficking, fraud, and violations of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, which prohibits South African citizens from participating in foreign armed conflicts without government authorisation.

Zuma-Sambudla and the MKP have since denied the allegations, claiming they were also victims of fraud by intermediaries.