Seemah says sorry after backlash for endorsing Russian work scheme
Influencer Seemah Mangolwane has issued an apology after coming under fire for promoting Alabuga Start, a Russian initiative now accused of exploiting young women.
The programme, marketed as an overseas work opportunity for girls aged 18 to 22, has been linked to dangerous war factory conditions, sparking outrage after several South African influencers promoted it online.
Seemah, who has over 2.8 million TikTok followers and more than 1.4 million fans on Instagram, admitted she accepted the campaign without conducting proper research.
She explained that she had seen the offer as a harmless opportunity to travel and create content abroad.
“I found the campaign appealing and saw it as a chance to travel abroad, why not?” she said.
“Everything proceeded smoothly, including the receipt of the deposit and the purchase of plane tickets.”
She revealed that during her three-day stay in Russia, nothing seemed suspicious.
She even interviewed some of the young women at the facility who insisted they were “happy and fine.”
“Everything seemed normal, so I was shocked,” she admitted.
Taking accountability, Seemah apologised for her role in promoting the programme.
“I apologise for being ignorant and putting young people’s lives in danger,” she said.
While Cyan Boujee has since deleted her promotional posts and Aya Langa maintains she saw “nothing fishy” about the programme, Seemah’s admission and public apology have become the centre of the conversation.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has confirmed that it is looking into the matter as concerns about exploitation of vulnerable youth continue to mount.
