South Africa cautions women over Russian job recruitment videos

The South African government has raised alarm over viral social media videos promoting jobs for young women in Russia, warning that the offers may be deceptive and dangerous.

The caution follows a wave of online promotions by South African influencers advertising overseas opportunities, with one particular video by influencer Cyan Boujee drawing attention.

The video, which has since been deleted, showcased what she described as a two-year "start programme" in Russia for women at the beginning of their careers seeking professional skills.

Boujee, whose real name is Honour Zuma and who commands a TikTok following of 1.7 million, filmed the clip in Tatarstan, Russia, highlighting accommodation for recruits.

She called the initiative a "fresh new start," saying that "apparently girls are treated fairly here – Africans, Asians, Latin Americans." She further claimed that participants would be offered jobs and taught Russian.

The programme specifically targets young women aged between 18 and 22, although it remains unclear what exact professions they would be placed in.

Despite the criticism she has faced, there is no indication that Boujee has broken any laws. She has not addressed the controversy directly, instead posting on Instagram over the weekend with a photo of herself on a plane captioned: "Legs stretched, champagne poured, drama ignored."

The South African government has expressed deep concern about influencers being used to market such opportunities.

Head of public diplomacy Clayson Monyela took to X, urging young people not to be swayed by unverified offers. "If something looks too good to be true, get a 2nd opinion," he wrote, stressing that the government is "extremely worried" about the trend.

Concerns about the authenticity of the programme have grown following allegations that some of the recruits sent to Tatarstan ended up working in a weapons factory producing drones used in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

One of the key recruiters is a special economic zone in Tatarstan, where the drone production reportedly takes place.

A May report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime found that recruits are lured under false promises of professional training and education. Instead, many end up working directly in drone production, while others are relegated to roles such as cleaners and caterers.

With South Africa facing high youth unemployment, officials fear that many desperate young women could fall victim to misleading job offers circulated through social media platforms.