[size=14pt]World Cup journalists robbed[/size]
Published: June 9, 2010 at 5:26 PM




JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 9 (UPI) -- Three journalists covering the World Cup soccer championship in South Africa were robbed at gunpoint Wednesday, police said.

One of the reporters said he saw two robbers as they broke into their hotel rooms in Johannesburg, the BBC reported.

"One of the suspects pointed a gun at the journalist and told him to lie down," police spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said. "He obliged and the suspects ransacked the place, taking passports, clothes, laptops and cameras."

Two journalists were from Portugal and the third was from Spain, the British broadcaster reported.

About 350,000 people are expected to travel to South Africa for the World Cup, being held in Africa for the first time, event officials said. The tournament begins Friday.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/International/2010/06/09/World-Cup-journalists-robbed/UPI-83061276118819/

Rubbish sensational journalism. . .
Maybe when the goals start pouring in, they'll forget the other distractions

@mama-gee
you may have the looks, granted
but without a doubt, your I.Q is 0.

Let these people not spoil this show for Africa abeg. We need all they good image we can get during this world cup.

^^What good image?

Good image in soccer?

^^^ Someone tell me who is this pathetic joke called mumu-gee?? Take time make I no enter you now ooo!

This is a lie! Watched CNN, South African newspapers and TV, there was nothing like that, why is the British media being the only one running the story. I hope their overated team losses, so that they can go home early!!

ah ah leave mama-gee alone, all she did was state an opinion and the insults begin pouring in.

http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/NationalNews/Chinese-journalists-robbed-20100610


[size=16pt]Chinese journalists robbed[/size]


Johannesburg - An armed gang stole money and a camera from four Chinese journalists in South Africa to cover the World Cup, Chinese state media reported on Thursday.

Several men attacked the journalists when their car stopped on the side of the road as they returned to Johannesburg after an interview, the reports said.

The thieves made off with a small amount of cash and a camera worth about $1 500 (R11 600), the Beijing News said.

"When you go out, you have to be careful, put all your valuables in the boot and no matter what happens, don't open the windows," one of the journalists was quoted as saying.

Warning

The paper said it was also trying to confirm a report that a Beijing journalist was robbed in South Africa.

China's consulate in Johannesburg has issued a warning to Chinese nationals attending the World Cup to remain alert and refrain from carrying large sums of cash, the newspaper said.

On Wednesday, an armed gang stole electronic equipment from a team of Portuguese journalists during a robbery at their lodge near Johannesburg, police and one of the victims said.

The gang broke into the lodge at Magaliesburg, northwest of Johannesburg, while three journalists covering the Portuguese team were sleeping.

~Borat~:

Rubbish sensational journalism. . .
Maybe when the goals start pouring in, they'll forget the other distractions

@mama-gee
you may have the looks, granted
but without a doubt, your I.Q is 0.

.

Seconded

Mpele:

This is a lie! Watched CNN, South African newspapers and TV, there was nothing like that, why is the British media being the only one running the story. I hope their overated team losses, so that they can go home early!!

I saw the news on CNN.

folem:

http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/WorldCup/NationalNews/Chinese-journalists-robbed-20100610


[size=16pt]Chinese journalists robbed[/size]


Johannesburg - An armed gang stole money and a camera from four Chinese journalists in South Africa to cover the World Cup, Chinese state media reported on Thursday.

Several men attacked the journalists when their car stopped on the side of the road as they returned to Johannesburg after an interview, the reports said.

The thieves made off with a small amount of cash and a camera worth about $1 500 (R11 600), the Beijing News said.

"When you go out, you have to be careful, put all your valuables in the boot and no matter what happens, don't open the windows," one of the journalists was quoted as saying.

Warning

The paper said it was also trying to confirm a report that a Beijing journalist was robbed in South Africa.

China's consulate in Johannesburg has issued a warning to Chinese nationals attending the World Cup to remain alert and refrain from carrying large sums of cash, the newspaper said.

On Wednesday, an armed gang stole electronic equipment from a team of Portuguese journalists during a robbery at their lodge near Johannesburg, police and one of the victims said.

The gang broke into the lodge at Magaliesburg, northwest of Johannesburg, while three journalists covering the Portuguese team were sleeping.

Another set robbed before the world cup?. This is getting serious.

the western media will be looking for ways to tramp Africa. SA officials should better buckle up.

~Borat~:



@mama-gee
you may have the looks, granted
but without a doubt, your I.Q is 0.

Foolish guy, how intelligent are you?

yeye fowl.

CyberG:

^^^ Someone tell me who is this pathetic joke called mumu-gee?? Take time make I no enter you now ooo!

Do you know who you're talking to?

oisehumen:

.

Seconded

Why wouldn't you second?

Do you have a brain of your own?

Yes but we should guard against these things since we already know we are marked.

This is better. If it was in Nigeria, dude would have been kidnapped.
He better relax and count what's left of his lucky stars

mama-gee:


Do you know who you're talking to?

Hahaha. . .well, I will let you go this time. . .

FL Gators:

This is better. If it was in Nigeria, dude would have been kidnapped.
He better relax and count what's left of his lucky stars

Yes, kidnapped, the same way they kidnapped all the journalists that came to cover the U-17 world cup right?

honeric01:

Yes, kidnapped, the same way they kidnapped all the journalists that came to cover the U-17 world cup right?

Oh that was what happened? I thought the kidnapping spree just started around this month. Wow

FL Gators:

Oh that was what happened? I thought the kidnapping spree just started around this month. Wow

Have you refilled your drug box yet?

honeric01:

Have you refilled your drug box yet?

Why should I when you can refill mines after you're done refilling yours?

Anywaz, dont derail.

FL Gators:

This is better. If it was in Nigeria, dude would have been kidnapped.
He better relax and count what's left of his lucky stars

I'd rather be kidnapped than murdered.

^ Yes, this is just the intro,

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20100610/twl-uk-soccer-world-robbery-672dc0e.html


[size=18pt]Greek players robbed in South Africa [/size]


Three Greek World Cup players had money stolen from their hotel rooms and Chinese journalists were robbed at gunpoint, officials said on Thursday. Skip related content

Another 11 tourists were robbed of passports and luxury goods while visiting a wine farm near Cape Town, adding to several separate incidents against tourists less than 24 hours ahead of the opening match between host nation South Africa and Mexico.

The incidents in the crime-plagued host country follow the armed robbery of Spanish and Portuguese journalists at a lodge north of Johannesburg on Wednesday.

South Africa, which has spent heavily on security, has been hoping the World Cup would boost its tourism sector and provide a jolt of pride for the continent but experts say persistent reports of crime could undermine those aspirations.

Greek team spokesman Michael Tsapidis said the players were not upset by the theft at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Durban and they were "extremely satisfied" with the way the hotel had responded to the incident.

"In our opinion this is not such a big deal. This incident is something that could happen anywhere in the world," he told a news conference.

The three Chinese journalists has been in the country for a few hours and were on their way to the main venue for the Cup in Soccer City on the edge of Soweto, a sprawling township outside of Johannesburg, the local paper Beeld reported citing various sources.

They stopped on the side of the road when gunmen approached and stole equipment from their vehicle, it said.

Chinese embassy officials confirmed the robbery but offered few details. South Africa police said the incident has not been officially reported and were looking into the case.

Petty theft is a fact of life in South Africa, a country of that averages 50 murders a day.

TOURISTS ROBBED AT WINE FARM

Police said a group of tourists from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Tanzania returned to their bus at a visit to a wine estate outside Cape Town to find nine passports, two digital cameras, a laptop and $500 cash missing. A case of theft had been opened, a statement said.

FIFA said on Thursday three arrests had been made for the armed robbery of Spanish and Portuguese journalists at a lodge in Magaliesburg, a sleepy, scenic town about an hour north of Johannesburg, and all the stolen property had been recovered.

The thieves made off with cameras, computers, credit cards and cash. The FIFA spokesman played down the incident, saying the soccer body's main concern was traffic chaos.

Police bolstered their presence in the Magaliesburg, where the Portugal squad base and police chief Bheki Cele visited the area on Thursday to express regret over the matter, a statement said.

"General Cele assured the group that all plans for a safe World Cup were still on track and he was confident that South Africans and fans alike will have a fantastic time over the next month," the statement said.

But travelling journalists including one held at gunpoint were angry at FIFA for not showing greater concern for their safety.

"It's just ridiculous, a total lack of respect for people who have come here to work, to show this country to the whole world," said photographer Antonio Simoes.

The raided hotel now has several police officers patrolling the grounds around the clock and almost all the other hotels have police or private security protecting journalists.

"FIFA saying it was more concerned with traffic than someone being attacked in a hotel room with a gun to their head does not dignify the institution and the organisation in any way," Paulo Guerrinha, a reporter for the Portuguese internet portal Sapo, told Reuters. "A situation like this cannot be devalued like it has been," he said.

(Additional reporting by Xola Potelwa, Agnieska Flak in Johannesburg, Wendell Roelf in Cape Town and Nick Mulvenney in Durban)

[i]Robbers jailed for swift World Cup justice
Sat Jun 12, 2010 2:49pm GMT
By Phumza Macanda and Wendell Roelf

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A South African court handed rapid punishment to two men who robbed World Cup journalists from Portugal and Spain, sentencing them to 15 years in jail, police said on Saturday.

The robbery last Wednesday raised concerns about sullying South Africa's reputation before the World Cup even started on Saturday. The country's extremely high rates of violent crime were one of the biggest concerns before the tournament.

The armed robbers raided a lodge north of Johannesburg and stole laptops, mobile phones and cash.

National police chief Bheki Cele had congratulated investigators on making swift arrests, which were processed by one of the special courts set up to accelerate justice during the tournament.

"Two of the accused, Bright Madzidzi, 20, and George Magubane, 28, were sentenced to 15 years imprisonment each for armed robbery," said a statement from the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure.

"Ndubuisi Odungwa, 20, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for the possession of stolen property."

TWO CONVICTED

Officials said the two convicted robbers were Zimbabweans and Odungwa was a Nigerian.

Police on Saturday also said team officials from Uruguay declined to press charges over a theft after a person from the team's retinue was caught on closed-circuit television.

Brigadier Sally de Beer said police responded to a report that cash was stolen from the hotel the team, who drew 0-0 with France in their opening game on Friday evening, was staying in Cape Town.

"Police went to the hotel and using CCTV identified a person (travelling with the team). They did not want to press charges," she said.

South Africa hopes a successful World Cup will bring millions more tourists to this country and boost investment. Serious crime during the globe's most watched sporting event could have the opposite effect.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said police would act swiftly to deal with criminals.

"The manner in which the investigation was conducted and finalised sends a stern message that our warnings to criminals were not empty threats," Mthethwa he said.


[/i]We should all realize that South Africa's crime situation is being compounded by migrants as the bolded part shows.

Africa self.

i know they must act

;d

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/aussies-robbed-at-cup/story-e6frf7jo-1225884714327?from=public_rss


[size=16pt]Aussies robbed at Cup[/size]


ARMED gunmen tied up and robbed Australian soccer fans at their hotel in South Africa on Thursday, with reports a woman was also sexually assaulted by the gang.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed the incident, which took place when the Australians returned to their Hazyview hotel about midnight after the match between the Socceroos and Serbia.

Hotel guest Steve Gaynor, who lost $10,000 worth of goods from his room while he was downstairs in a nearby bar, said four Nigerian men with rifles and handguns followed the Australians back to the hotel and attacked them in their rooms.

"I had watched the match from the hotel that night and about 12.30am three cars arrived back at the hotel and people started filing in," Mr Gaynor said.

"I was in the bar and some people came in there while others went back to their rooms.

"While we were sitting in the lodge bar we were oblivious to what was going on. These poor kids were tied up, held at gunpoint and robbed. My room was robbed, but luckily I wasn't in there when they broke through the window."

Mr Gaynor said one female Australian had been sexually assaulted in the attack.

The Australian Federal Police confirmed an off-duty member was one of the victims, who took control and tried to keep others calm, Mr Gaynor said.

"They took cash, jewellery and watches off the people they had tied up and stole phones and laptops," he said.

"I think they knew Aussies were in that hotel, they were targeting us.

"It was robbery with violence. One guy was on the floor and the man had his boot on his head and told him not to move or he is dead - it was serious.

"It's just horrible."

The gunmen fired shots as they fled by vehicle.

Mr Gaynor returned to Australia on Saturday after Australian consular staff provided him with an emergency passport.

They rob everywhere.

now its over