World Cup watchVisiting Colombian, Egyptian national soccer teams robbed in South Africa
Criminals in South Africa do not wait for the World Cup tournament to begin to rob visiting soccer teams: last Monday, two hotel employees stole $3,000 from members of the Colombian national team; the Colombian team was staying at the five-star Hyde Park Southern Sun Hotel, in northern Johannesburg, ahead of a friendly game against the South African national team; the incident is reminiscent of a robbery last June: during the Confederations Cup, $2,400 was stolen from several players from the Egyptian soccer team at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Protea Hotel
World Cup trophy // Source: guim.co.uk
Soccer players heading to South Africa for the World cub may want to leave their wallets at home. The Colombian national soccer team has been robbed in a five-star World Cup hotel — the day after their arrival in South Africa. Two female employees of the plush Hyde Park Southern Sun Hotel, in northern Johannesburg, were arrested and appeared in court yesterday charged with stealing R21,000 (about $3,000) from members of the team last Monday. Charges against a third woman were dropped because of lack of evidence.
The hotel will also host the World Cup squad from Slovenia, due to arrive on 8 June. The global soccer showcase kicks off on 11 June.
The women are alleged to have stolen the cash from suitcases belonging to the Colombian team. It has not been established where the players were at the time of the alleged theft or how the women came to be arrested.
The Times’s Khethiwe Chelemu writes that the incident is regarded as having the potential to deeply embarrass South Africa — and the police top brass, who have vowed that they will ensure that the tournament will be the “safest World Cup ever.”
In June, during the Confederations Cup, $2,400 (R18,394) was stolen from several players from the Egyptian soccer team at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Protea Hotel. Five members of the team discovered that their money was missing shortly after celebrating their 1-0 victory over Italy.
Newspapers reported that the theft was carried out by “scantily clad” women who were spotted on closed-circuit TV cameras. The women suspected of involvement in the theft from the Colombians were scheduled to appear in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court but their case was transferred to the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
Jeanet Mashimbyi, 29, of Maseru, Lesotho, and Johannesburg resident Lucky Mahlatsi, 25, appeared late yesterday before magistrate Helene Engelbrecht. They were not asked to plead.
Chelemu notes that the Times understands that the management of the Hyde Park hotel allegedly asked the police to keep the incident quiet, fearing bad publicity and cancellations before the World Cup. It is understood that, though the hotel wanted the women to be fired quietly, the police insisted on arresting them following complaints from the Colombian team.
Mashimbye and Mahlatsi tried to sell the stolen dollars to a Chinese woman in Johannesburg who deals in foreign exchange. The dealer has denied her involvement.
Mashimbye and Mahlatsi are unlikely to be granted bail during their scheduled court appearance next week. The court heard that one of the women has a case of theft pending against her. She was accused of stealing money from other guests at the hotel. The second woman has a warrant of arrest outstanding against her.
Gauteng police spokesman Colonel Eugene Opperman said: “It was an inside job. How do you police that? You cannot. They worked there everyday.”
