Foreign nationals arrested at OR Tambo over Ukraine war bid

Nine foreign nationals arrested at OR Tambo International Airport and a Bruma hotel on Sunday, 8 November 2026 were allegedly preparing to leave South Africa for the Russia-Ukraine war, the Hawks said.

According to IOL, the nine suspects were arrested on Sunday night at the airport and at a hotel in Bruma, Johannesburg, as they prepared to board flights out of the country. Hawks national spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the arrests followed an integrated, multidisciplinary investigation, and the suspects are expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court soon.

What the Hawks said about the foreign nationals arrested at OR Tambo

The Hawks, formally the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, said the suspects were aged between 20 and 26. The operation was built on intelligence gathered during the investigation, and the nine were stopped as they prepared to leave South Africa. Announcing the arrests, Mogale said:

Acting on intelligence gathered during the investigation, the multidisciplinary team operationalised an intervention that resulted in the arrest of the nine suspects, aged between 20 and 26, last night (Sunday). The suspects were allegedly preparing to board flights out of the country when they were apprehended.

Mogale said the investigation involved INTERPOL, the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State and Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit in Germiston, international law enforcement agencies, SAPS Crime Intelligence, the Modus Operandi Centre, the Gauteng Provincial Tracking Team and various security companies.

The Hawks did not disclose the nationalities of the suspects or the countries they intended to travel to. Acting Gauteng Hawks head Brigadier Paulina Sekgobela commended the multidisciplinary team for its coordinated efforts and said:

The Hawks reiterate their commitment to working with local and international law enforcement agencies to combat crime and ensure compliance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

Charges facing the foreign nationals arrested at OR Tambo

The Hawks said the suspects are expected to face charges relating to the contravention of the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act 15 of 1998. The law prohibits military assistance to foreign armed forces without permission from the National Conventional Arms Control Committee, and a conviction can carry a fine, imprisonment, or both.

The Hawks did not say whether investigators had established that the nine were recruited to take part in the conflict. The suspects have not yet appeared in court, and the Hawks have not confirmed a date for their first appearance.

Earlier Russia recruitment arrests in South Africa

OR Tambo has featured in a similar case before. In November 2025, the Hawks arrested four South African men at the airport as they prepared to board a flight to Russia via the United Arab Emirates. A fifth suspect, SAfm presenter Nonkululeko Mantula, was arrested in the same case, and the five appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 1 December 2025.

In February 2026, the government announced arrangements with Russia to bring home 17 South African men who were reportedly recruited to fight for Russian forces. The Hawks confirmed in November 2025 that they were investigating former MK Party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla after her half-sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, filed criminal complaints over the recruitment.

Sources

Andile Sicetsha

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