South Africa’s influencer world has been rocked to its core since the Alabuga START Programme, sold to young women as a glittering Russian work-study opportunity, was unmasked as a sinister front for human trafficking and war exploitation.
The glossy TikTok promos, fronted by some of Mzansi’s hottest social media stars, promised the chance of a lifetime: free flights to Russia, luxury accommodation, Russian lessons, and salaries starting at $700 (about R13 000).
Instead, what greeted the unsuspecting young women were gruelling 12-hour shifts in military factories, passport confiscations, and the shocking reality that they were assembling Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia in its war with Ukraine.
Now the scandal has exploded on home soil, leaving influencers disgraced, agencies scrambling, and TikTok dropping the hammer.
On Thursday, TikTok permanently banned the accounts of four high-profile influencers: Cyan Boujee (Honour Zuma, 1.8-million followers), Seemah Mango (Sima Mangolwane, 2.8-million followers), Peachy Sprinkle (Siyamthanda Anita), and Zillewizzy (Lehlogonolo Katlego Chauke).
The platform confirmed the suspensions after a flood of users complained about promotional posts for the Russian programme.
“This is a huge learning curve,” Cyan said in a teary apology, insisting she “wasn’t in it for the money” and had not been paid.
Seemah Mango admitted she ignored red flags, telling fans: “I should have researched better.”
Damage control
However, industry insiders speculate that the influencers received between R50 000 and R150 000 for their promotions, a substantial compensation that now raises serious ethical concerns under the Advertising Regulatory Board’s social media code.
Agencies that submitted their talent for the campaign are currently experiencing a severe crisis.
In a rare show of unity, they released a joint statement on Thursday, confirming an alliance to ensure accountability and transparency.
The statement listed a shocking 40 influencers tied to the campaign, including rising stars like Bassie, Pretty Loner, Aya Langa, and Insureitshopey.
Agencies confirmed they held a tense conference call with Alabuga representatives on Thursday, with another showdown set for Saturday.
On Monday, they will be dragged into a phone call with the justice, crime prevention, and security cluster, which is investigating allegations of human trafficking and labour violations.
Reports dismissed
The Russian embassy in Pretoria has denied everything, dismissing reports by Bloomberg and the Associated Press as “unfounded”.
It urged South Africans to see the truth on the Alabuga SEZ website, a site critics say is nothing more than propaganda.
South Africans are not buying it, especially with Interpol already investigating in Botswana and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) confirming that at least one young woman was rescued after she appealed to the embassy in Moscow.
Experts assert that the 48% youth unemployment rate among women under 34 makes young South Africans vulnerable to deceptive foreign offers.
Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel and Dirco’s Clayson Monyela have urged the public to steer clear of unverified schemes, warning: “If it looks too good to be true, it usually is.”
