Ramaphosa called his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin yesterday, as he wanted to gain an understanding of the unfolding situation. The president says, based on the country’s relations with the Russian Federation and as member of BRICS, South Africa has been approached to play a mediation role.

Meanwhile, 25 South African students left stranded in Ukraine, after the Russian invasion, have returned home or are in the process of arriving here. The senior executive for strategic trade at Aspen Pharmacare Group, Stavros Nicolaou says they are overwhelmed that the students are back, as the company had facilitated the safe return of some of them.