A number of South African influencers, bar content creator Cyan Boujee, have apologised for promoting a job programme in Russia to young South African girls. This comes after authorities expressed concerns that the offer raised red flags about human trafficking.
INFLUENCERS SORRY FOR PROMOTING RUSSIA JOB PROGRAMME
Over the past few days, influencers like Cyan Boujee have come under fire for promoting a job programme called the Alabuga Start Programme to girls between 18 and 22 years old.
According to the content creators, the two-year programme equips the young women with professional skills.
However, Cabinet’s Head of Public Diplomacy Clayson Monyela warned South Africans to be wary of human trafficking syndicates posing as job programmes like the one advertised.
Reacting to the backlash, one of the influencers, Seemah, apologised to her followers. Like Cyan, Seemah travelled to Russia to film content for the programme.
She said in a TikTok live: “I’m shocked hearing all this. Everything seemed normal, nothing was odd.”
She continued: “It’s my fault for not doing my research. I apologise for being ignorant and putting young women’s lives in danger. Please do not apply for this programme.
Another influencer, Aya Langa, said: “I don’t think any of us would have wanted to partake in such a campaign if we had known about the plot behind it. I wouldn’t want to involve myself in such a campaign that has anything to do with human trafficking.
@ayaa.langa I’d just like to sincerely apologies for everything that is going on, also apologize to those that got the influence to apply from me. I don’t think none of us would have wanted to partake in such a campaign if we had known about the plot behind it, I personally wouldn’t want to involve myself in such a campaign because I would never want to be isizathu sezinyembezi zomunye umuntu, someone’s pain let alone someone’s death. I don’t think any of us knew about the plot behind it. Some even went to Russia to the actual place that was being spoken about and apparently kids were actually happy to be there, they seemed safe, nothing dodgy or sketchy about it So for me it was even easier to agree to it, not knowing about the plot behind it, but what I know for sure is, I would never want to involve myself in such situations where people’s live are put to risk Again, I sincerely apologize🙏🏽🙏🏽
A third, Sasha Domnikov vowed to verify all information going forward.
He said, “I will be looking into everything to understand what happened in Russia. And I give you my word that I will stay away from anything like this again.”
WHAT ABOUT CYAN BOUJEE?
Meanwhile, Cyan Boujee has seemingly given the middle finger to criticism of her paid campaign.
The influencer- whose real name is Honor Zuma – is currently in the Maldives, where she is celebrating her 24th birthday.
Images via TikTok
Amid the backlash, the content creator posted on her Instagram: “Legs stretched, champagne poured, drama ignored”.
BE WARY OF FAKE JOBS IN RUSSIA, SAYS GOVERNMENT
Meanwhile, government has warned South Africans, particularly women, to be aware of fake job offers advertised by influencers.
The Ministry in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) shared in a statement: “Although we recognise that South Africa faces unacceptably high youth unemployment, especially among young women, this harsh reality must never be exploited through false job offers.
The DWYPD confirmed that the advertised work opportunities in Russia are not facilitated or endorsed by government. It added that all legitimate international employment opportunities are organised through official diplomatic channels and formal bilateral agreements.
The department urged young people to exercise extreme caution when engaging with unsolicited offers for international employment, particularly those distributed via social media and other online platforms. South Africans are also advised to verify information by contacting the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) or any embassies in the country of interest.
DO YOU THINK INFLUENCER CYAN BOUJEE SHOULD APOLOGISE FOR PROMOTING THE JOB PROGRAMME TO YOUNG GIRLS?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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