Cape Town - A group of Angolan tourists on holiday in Cape Town say thieves have put a damper on their visit after US$1 200 (about R12 000) was stolen from their luggage at a plush Waterfront hotel.
The group of five booked into the Waterfront Village at about 3pm on Friday, said Edson Coelho who helped the group find accommodation for the weekend.
The Village is on the marina between the Cape Grace and the One&Only Hotel, and boasts “luxury serviced apartments”.
He said the group took their luggage to their room.
Since the safe in the room would not lock they put their money in one bag, locked the door and went to lunch, Coelho said.
When they returned they found their bags had been tampered with and the money was missing.
When the group approached security, they were told the surveillance cameras were not working.
They reported the matter to police who promised to send investigators.
The group continued with their holiday, sightseeing and visiting shopping centres. The following night they were told the locks on their room had been changed and they were given new keys.
Paula Manuel, one of the holidaymakers, said they had been “saddened” by the incident.
At the weekend she said: “Now we are short of money - we came here for a weekend to have a holiday and now it is spoiled.”
Provincial police spokesman Tembinkosi Kinana said that a case of theft had been laid with the Table Bay Harbour police and an investigation had been launched. He said: “There is no description of the suspect. No arrest has been made.”
The Waterfront Village’s Maree Brink said that management and an independent Waterfront security company were doing “extensive investigations”.
Brink said on Monday the hotel management was awaiting a detailed report on the matter.
“As the Marina Residential development is such a secure environment with extensive security procedures, we are treating the matter very seriously.”
Cape Argus