Nine Zimbabweans appear in court over alleged war travel

Nine Zimbabwean nationals appeared in two Gauteng magistrates courts on November 10, charged with contravening South Africa’s Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act over an alleged attempt to travel to the Russia-Ukraine war. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says the group intended to leave South Africa to participate in the conflict. The allegation has not been proven in court, and the reports do not identify which side they allegedly intended to join.

Five men appeared in Kempton Park Magistrates Court after being arrested at OR Tambo International Airport. The other four appeared in Johannesburg Magistrates Court following arrests at a hotel in Bruma. The NPA said the arrests followed an intelligence-led investigation. Reports identified the Hawks, Interpol, South African Police Service Crime Intelligence and other law-enforcement agencies as involved in the operation.

The cases were postponed to allow the accused to obtain legal representation. The five airport-arrested men are due back in Kempton Park on November 10, while the four arrested in Bruma are due back in Johannesburg on November 12. The accused remain in custody, according to reports on the court...