South African social media influencer, Cyan Boujee, has publicly apologised after facing heavy criticism for promoting a controversial job programme in Russia that authorities have now linked to potential human trafficking and labour exploitation.
Cyan, born Honour Zuma, attracted backlash when one of her promotional videos went viral, advertising overseas opportunities for women aged 18 to 22.
The posts described the scheme as a “fresh start” for young women, but offered little detail on the nature of the jobs.
The South African government later issued a warning against the adverts, urging citizens to be cautious of “unverified job opportunities abroad” and highlighting the risks of trafficking.
“Immediately when I saw the comments on my stories and on my videos… I knew that this is not something I stand with,” the 24-year-old said in a video shared with her 902,000 Instagram followers.
She confirmed she had deleted all promotional content and stressed that she did not care about the financial benefits involved. “I apologise and I believe this is not something that will be repeated again,” she added.
Cyan, who has more than 1.7 million followers on TikTok, had earlier posted a video filmed in Tatarstan, Russia, where she claimed recruits would receive training, jobs, and lessons in the Russian language.
Allegations have since emerged that some recruits ended up working in drone manufacturing plants linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
READ ALSO: South Africa Arrests 1,000 Undocumented Migrants in Illegal Mining Sweep
Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel warned on Wednesday that such overseas “opportunities” were often a front for serious exploitation. “Never rely solely on social media promotions or unsolicited advertisements. Always cross-check and verify job opportunities through official channels,” he cautioned.
The fallout on social media has been significant, with petitions now circulating to pressure influencers into using their platforms to raise awareness about human trafficking instead of promoting unverified opportunities.
A May report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime found that recruits for the so-called “start programme” in Tatarstan were misled about the nature of the work.
While promised training and careers, many were placed in drone production or auxiliary roles such as cleaning and catering.
Cyan admitted the controversy had been a “huge learning curve” for her and “all the other influencers” involved, reiterating her apology to fans and followers.