"The process of bringing these young men home remains very sensitive. They are in a dangerous environment," Vincent Magwenya, spokesman for President Cyril Ramaphosa, told a press conference, The Guardian reports.
According to the spokesperson, talks are underway with authorities primarily in Russia, but also in Ukraine.
South African police announced in November that they were investigating allegations that the daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, had lured 17 South African men to Russia "to fight in the war in Ukraine without their knowledge or consent."
Zuma-Sambudla has since resigned as a member of parliament.
