Sihle Makhaye’s family speaks out as authorities stay mum about Russian war recruitment scam
· Citizen
The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has refused to take questions on the death of Sihle Makhaye, a 44-year-old man who was allegedly tricked into fighting in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Makhaye was part of a group of unemployed South Africans who were recruited to Russia under the guise of being trained as bodyguards, with the promise of employment afterwards.
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But according to authorities, when Makhaye and others arrived in Moscow, they were forced to sign contracts that they did not understand and fight for Russia in the war.
Makhaye reportedly refused to do both.
He died in March from what is believed to be natural causes and his body was repatriated to South Africa on the weekend.
National government ‘dealing with it’
In a media briefing in Durban on Monday, KZN Transport MEC Siboniso Duma said several government departments are investigating Makhaye’s recruitment in Russia and the circumstances behind his death.
“We know that many of you would like us to reflect on the entire recruitment process, but we do not have the jurisdiction over that. As you know by now, national [government] has an interest, they are dealing with that process,” he said.
He further said the national government has established a task team to deal with the matter.
According to Duma, the provincial government became involved after Makhaye’s wife appealed to it to help the family get his body back to South Africa.
“Once again we express our deepest appreciation to the president of the republic, his excellency President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, and the Minister of International Relations for the support, including Deputy Minister Botes.”
He said the South African government had worked tirelessly for 69 days on the repatriation work.
Family speaks out
Meanwhile, Makhaye’s wife Sibonile Ndwandwe told the media that she did not know what was going to happen to her husband’s remains after she learnt about his death in March.
She said she is grateful to the government and all South Africans who assisted in the repatriation process of her husband’s body.
“Thank you to those that have helped with the process of bringing him back home, and to those who have supported the family in different ways so that the body of the father of my children can come back home,” she said.
Makhaye will be buried this weekend in Kranskop, a small town in the KZN Midlands.