The South African government has issued a warning to young women after a wave of social media recruitment drives offering overseas job opportunities went viral, raising fears of exploitation and links to Russia’s war industry.
The warning follows the circulation of promotional videos by popular South African influencers advertising apparent employment schemes for young women in Russia. One such video, made by TikTok star Cyan Boujee — real name Honour Zuma — has been at the center of controversy.
In the clip, which has since been deleted, Boujee promoted what she described as a two-year “start programme” aimed at young women at the beginning of their careers. She told her 1.7 million followers that the programme offered a chance to gain professional skills, learn Russian, and enjoy a “fresh new start.” Filmed in Tatarstan, Russia, the video included footage of the accommodation provided to recruits.
Boujee assured viewers that women from diverse backgrounds — “Africans, Asians, Latin Americans” — were treated fairly in the programme. She said participants would be given jobs and language training, but offered no details on the specific professions involved. The scheme appeared to target women aged between 18 and 22.
Although there is no indication that Boujee has broken the law, she has come under criticism for promoting the initiative. She has not addressed the backlash directly, but one of her recent Instagram posts showed her aboard a plane sipping champagne, captioned: “Legs stretched, champagne poured, drama ignored.”
Authorities in Pretoria say they are alarmed by the trend of influencers being used to lure vulnerable young people into questionable overseas schemes. South Africa’s head of public diplomacy, Clayson Monyela, said the government was “extremely worried” about the development.
In a post on X, Monyela urged young people — particularly women — to be wary of glamorous job adverts online. “Don’t fall for unverified foreign job offers, some promoted on social media,” he warned, adding: “If something looks too good to be true, get a 2nd opinion.”
The caution comes amid allegations that some of the women recruited under such programmes in Tatarstan were diverted into dangerous and controversial work. Reports suggest that some ended up in factories producing weapons, including drones later deployed by Russia in its war in Ukraine.
One of the main recruiters has been identified as a special economic zone in Tatarstan, the region where drone production facilities are believed to be located.
In May, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) released a report examining the so-called “start programme.” The report found that young recruits were enticed under “false pretences” about the nature of the work, training opportunities, and living conditions. Instead, GI-TOC said, the actual purpose was to feed labor into Russia’s drone production programme.
The group’s findings alleged that while some recruits were placed directly on drone assembly lines, others were assigned to supporting roles such as cleaning and catering — all within facilities tied to the production of war matériel.
With youth unemployment in South Africa running high and many young people desperate for opportunities abroad, officials say the risk of exploitation is growing. The government is urging potential jobseekers to verify any overseas opportunity through official channels before committing, warning that misleading social media promotions could have severe consequences.
