South Africa has announced that it has received information about 17 of its citizens who joined mercenary forces fighting in Ukraine and are now "trapped".

South Africa has taken over leadership of a regional body from Madagascar, which decided to relinquish the role following a military takeover sparked by nationwide protests.

South African diplomats were working to rescue 17 South African men from Ukraine's Donbas region where they were engaged in "suspected mercenary activities."

A businessman who confessed to being a fixer who delivered bribes to South African government officials, lawmakers and others in a corruption scheme that enraged the nation has avoided jail time in a plea deal announced by state prosecutors.

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered a probe into how its citizens were recruited to fight as mercenaries in Russia’s war against Ukraine.