Johannesburg - Although you may not travel with as much bling as President Jacob Zuma’s fifth wife, you should still check you are insured when you travel with jewellery.
Thobeka Madiba-Zuma allegedly lost half-a-million rand in jewellery she said was stolen from the cosmetics bag in her luggage on a domestic flight in December. She claimed her jewellery was uninsured and reportedly lost her claim against SA Airlink.
SA Airlink and Madiba-Zuma declined to comment, but the latter said she was “awaiting legal advice” before speaking publicly about the incident.
Travellers should learn from this incident, said the managing director of MUA Insurance Acceptances, Christelle Fourie. She said jewellery was often the most expensive thing to go missing while travelling.
On top of the frustration of losing prized jewellery, some travellers quickly realise they aren’t insured for the loss. Fourie said people often forget to check whether their goods are covered if they are taken out of their homes.
“The reality is that liability cover is often very limited,” Fourie said.
She said travellers should be vigilant.
“Criminals are naturally drawn to tourists as they assume they are wealthy. They will watch and wait for a moment when the traveller lets their guard down to grab their bag or pickpocket them,” she said.
Chris Boden, who travelled from OR Tambo Airport to New York last month, claimed his wife’s jewellery was stolen from her cosmetics bag and the lock on the luggage had been removed.
“My wish would be for this story to help catalyse a full investigation, prosecution and clean-up of the baggage handling and security operation at those airports,” he said.
But OR Tambo has seen a 49 percent reduction in “mishandled” bags over the last three years according to Airports Company SA (Acsa) spokeswoman Unathi Batyashe-Fillis.
“Over recent months, Acsa’s security team has also introduced a number of initiatives to further improve general crime (prevention) around the airport precinct in collaboration with the SAPS,” she said.
This is of little consolation to Boden, who said the police did not help when his wife reported her loss.
“She was absolutely disgusted with the apathy and rude service she received from the SAPS at the OR Tambo police station,” he said.
Theft or lost luggage are not the only risks while travelling – typical holiday conditions can damage jewellery too, according to Fourie.
“Sand or concrete can scratch precious metals and gemstones, which are not as hard as diamonds, and chlorine can cause weakening and discolouration in precious metals,” she said.
Tips:
Dex Kotze, chief executive of Jenna Clifford jewellery, has this advice:
l “Visit a reputable jeweller to obtain an updated valuation before embarking on your trip.
l “Plan your jewellery wardrobe well – less is more.
l “Take care of your jewellery, for instance, do not bath or swim with your pearls.
l “Never clump your jewellery together – wrap each item separately when it is being moved around.
l “Always lock your jewellery in a safe when not wearing it.
l “Never leave your jewellery unattended.
l “Be vigilant of your surroundings when wearing expensive jewellery.” - The Star