Russian and South African national flags fly from the Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov, ahead of naval drills between Russia, South Africa and China, in Richards Bay, South Africa, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. The exercises, known as MOSI II, have been criticized by some of South Africas biggest trade partners, including the US and European Union, who have questioned the timing of the exercises, which take place one year after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg
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Premium – RW Johnson: Fairy tales for grownups? SA’s too-obvious links to Wagner Group
RW Johnson reflects on the exploits of Russia’s Wagner Group and the possibility of a South African collaboration.
By RW Johnson*
The exploits of Russia's Wagner Group and its founder and boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, occupy a great deal of space in the news. This private army, thought to have up to 50,000 men in Ukraine (an estimated 10,000 regular mercenaries, a hearsay 40,000 convicts), has also been active in Syria, Libya, Mozambique, Mali, Sudan and the Central African Republic.
The CAR is, indeed, now a virtual Wagner colony – the President, Fautin-Archange Touadera, is a Wagner puppet and Wagner soldiers are seen everywhere – controlling the borders, providing security for the elite, manning bases and running gold and diamond mines. In effect the CAR has become the Wagner HQ in the heart of Africa.
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