South African security guard returns from Russia after leg amputation — TimesLIVE
In South Africa, former VIP security guard Lifa Miya has returned from Russia, the aggressor state, with an amputated leg. According to TimesLIVE, the 40-year-old man says that he and other South African citizens were lured to Russia with promises of elite training and lucrative security contracts, and were then forced to fight against Ukraine.
Miya worked in VIP security for 12 years, including at the palaces of the late Zulu king Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu. In June 2024, he was among 22 men — 20 South African citizens and two Botswana citizens — who flew to Russia. The outlet notes that the two Botswana citizens were reportedly killed in Donbas.
Recruitment claims
According to Miya, at the beginning of 2024, he was offered special forces training in Russia and contracts for security work. He claims that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, Sifokazi Xuma and Blessing Khoza were involved in recruiting the group. In Miya’s account, in Rostov-on-Don, Zuma-Sambudla allegedly forced the men to sign documents in Russian whose contents they could not read.
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Zuma-Sambudla relinquished her parliamentary mandate after the story became public, but denies guilt and says that she herself was a victim of deception. Miya is cooperating with South African authorities investigating the case and wants those who recruited them to be held accountable.
Injury and return
Miya said that after about two months of training, he was sent to fight in Donbas — a part of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia. On December 12, he said, a Ukrainian drone detected the unit that was digging trenches and routes for a gun. The man said he fired at the drone, but it fell near him, after which he sustained severe leg injuries.
Miya was initially taken to a military hospital in the temporarily occupied territory of Donbas and was later transferred to St. Petersburg, where his leg was amputated. According to him, during treatment, payments were reduced from about 50,000 to 6,000 rand. He also claims that before returning to South Africa, he was forced to travel to Donbas again with an open wound so that commanders could check his medical documents and sign discharge papers. Miya thanked South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, and other officials for helping him return home.
