A South African radio presenter appeared in court on Monday accused of recruiting men to fight for Russia in Ukraine.

Police said Nonkululeko Mantula, who works for South Africa's SABC public broadcaster, was arrested after a tipoff.

She is accused of recruiting four men and making arrangements for them to join the Russian military currently  involved in a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Mantula, along with the four men, face charges for contravening a law which prohibits South Africans from joining a foreign army without official permission. 

Police said the matter has been postponed to December 8 for a formal bail application and that the five accused will remain in custody pending trial.

What else do we know about the case?

Three of the men were detained at South Africa's main international airport on Friday as they attempted to fly to Russia to fight as mercenaries, police said.

Their arrests were triggered after another man, who was allegedly involved in the network, was interviewed at OR Tambo International Airport as he returned to South Africa from Russia.

The arrests come on the heels of a probe into a daughter of former South African President Jacob Zuma, who faces similar allegations.

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla is accused, alongside two others, of conning 17 men into fighting for Russia in Ukraine.

Zuma-Sambudla resigned as a member of parliament for her father's opposition MK Party last week following the allegations.

South Africa's policy on fighting in foreign forces

In South Africa, it is illegal to fight for another country's military without government authorization.

Russia has repeatedly been accused of recruiting foreigners to fight for it in Ukraine, often luring them in with job offers.

It also faces allegations of duping African women, including from South Africa, with hospitality job adverts and tricking them to work instead in Russian drone factories.

The South African government has warned of social media campaigns promising jobs and study opportunities in Russia, cautioning they could be fronts for war recruitment.

Edited by: Kieran Burke