Business wants crackdown

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s business community called for stronger security at the Johannesburg International Airport on Monday after gunmen made off with bundles of cash from an aircraft at the weekend.

Police repeated on Monday they were still unsure of the exact amount taken in the Saturday heist, but a newspaper pegged the value of the heist at about US$16,5 million. The South African Chamber of Business (SACOB) said there must be measures to ensure that such a robbery at South Africa’s premier entry point for foreigners did not happen again.”SACOB believes that airport security should feature high on the order of priorities for South African Airways, Airports Company South African and the South Africa Police Service,” a statement said.Six to eight men armed with automatic rifles held up police and guards carrying money bags from a South African Airways plane after it arrived from London’s Heathrow airport on Saturday morning, police said.No passengers were in danger since they had all left the aircraft before the robbery occurred, South African Airways said in a statement.Superintendent Vish Naidoo said on Monday investigations were continuing but no new information was available.- Nampa-ReutersThe South African Chamber of Business (SACOB) said there must be measures to ensure that such a robbery at South Africa’s premier entry point for foreigners did not happen again.”SACOB believes that airport security should feature high on the order of priorities for South African Airways, Airports Company South African and the South Africa Police Service,” a statement said.Six to eight men armed with automatic rifles held up police and guards carrying money bags from a South African Airways plane after it arrived from London’s Heathrow airport on Saturday morning, police said.No passengers were in danger since they had all left the aircraft before the robbery occurred, South African Airways said in a statement.Superintendent Vish Naidoo said on Monday investigations were continuing but no new information was available.- Nampa-Reuters