A delicate healing journey has commenced for a group of South African men brought back from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as the government provides essential psychosocial support.
The Department of Social Development (DSD) has initiated a focused intervention program designed to assist the men in dealing with profound emotional and psychological wounds following their return last month. This group, believed to have been enticed abroad in 2025 with promises of lucrative security jobs, instead found themselves in a war zone.
Now that they are back home, the emphasis has shifted from mere survival to actual recovery.
For one family in KwaZulu-Natal, the government’s intervention has offered a cautious sense of relief. Speaking anonymously, a parent shared the gradual but significant progress. “He is doing his best to rebuild. The therapy has begun, and we can notice the change,” they stated.
The government confirmed that nine out of the 17 returnees are already receiving support, with social workers assigned to evaluate both the men and their families. The program adopts a family-centered approach, acknowledging that trauma affects more than just the individual.
Nevertheless, challenges persist. Five individuals have refused assistance due to trust issues, underscoring the complicated emotional terrain faced by both survivors and authorities.
This initiative follows diplomatic efforts led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola to facilitate the men’s return.
As therapy progresses, families are also seeking answers, as the Hawks investigate the events that led the men into the conflict.
For now, healing is the main focus — one conversation, one session, one day at a time.
Email: motshwari@onenews.co.za
