By Hassan Isilow
JOHANNESBURG (AA) - A group of Iraqi diplomats visiting South Africa were robbed at gunpoint on Thursday night in Johannesburg, a diplomatic source has told Anadolu Agency.
National police spokesman Brigadier Vish Naidoo also confirmed to Anadolu Agency that “seven visitors were robbed in Sandton [a district of Johannesburg] while returning from a conference in the Eastern Cape region”.
However, Naidoo did not reveal the nationalities of the victims, citing police procedure.
Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee told Anadolu Agency that the victims were Iraqi diplomats visiting the country since Tuesday.
He said they were followed from the OR Tambo International Airport before being attacked.
A diplomatic source in Pretoria who spoke to Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity also said the victims were Iraqis.
Naidoo said there were previously many incidents of people being followed from the airport to their hotels or homes before being robbed.
“Before July 25 it was a trend that people would be followed from the airport and robbed, but we have put in a new revised strategy and we have seen a decline [in robberies],” he claimed.
Several diplomats, businesspeople and tourists have reported being robbed in a similar fashion in the past few months.
Two weeks ago, 36 Dutch tourists were followed from the airport and robbed by five armed men posing as police officers.
Last August, a Senegalese lawmaker representing her country at the Pan African Parliament (PAP) in Johannesburg was shot and robbed as she travelled from OR Tambo Airport.
Several other visiting African lawmakers representing their countries at the continental parliament have also reported being robbed.