Armed raiders smashed into a hotel early on Tuesday in the World Cup venue of Nelspruit and stole laptops, cellphones and cash from a group of Chinese journalists, police said.
The robbery comes a week after journalists from Portugal and Spain were held up at gunpoint at a lodge north of Johannesburg. The equipment was later recovered and the two gunmen were sentenced to 15 years in jail for the crime at the weekend.
"A group of armed suspects broke the window and used that as an entrance into the room and attacked four Chinese nationals," local police spokesman Leonard Shlati said, adding that three of the victims were reporters.
He said the robbers were armed with a handgun, but that no one was hurt in the incident. Shlati said police had arrested three suspects.
South Africa hopes a successful, crime-free World Cup will inspire millions of tourists to visit the country and boost investment. Nelspruit, one of the smaller World Cup venues, is a hub for visitors heading to the nearby Kruger National Park. - Reuters