The South African mercenaries are reportedly trapped in Donbass in eastern Ukraine, where fierce fighting is raging between Ukraine and the Russian invasion forces, who control large parts of the area. It is not clear on which side of the conflict the South Africans are fighting.
The men were lured into the war with false, lucrative job offers, President Cyril Ramaphosa's office said in a statement. Most of them are said to be from KwaZulu-Natal in eastern South Africa.
The government in Pretoria says it is working to bring the men, who are aged 20-39, home after they sent a distress call.
"President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the recruitment of these young men for seemingly mercenary activities," the statement read.
