‘Welcome’ to South Afrrica
On our return from a visit to America, we were welcomed home by very pleasant passport control workers and felt really happy to be back home going into our lovely spring and summer.
Theora Turner writes:
It didn’t take long for reality to hit. We were heading for a lift to take us to the Gautrain when we were approached by an overly enthusiastic ‘helper’ reeking of alcohol, who insisted on helping with luggage and direction.
We declined his help and he pushed ahead of us into the lift and stood behind our cases next to my husbands backpack. After leaving the lift, he then came running up to us waving our passport holder and shouting, “You dropped this”.
My husband immediately accused him of opening the backpack and taking the folder, as we discovered both the zips had been opened after closing them as we left the passport control. He kept denying this and stood around waiting for a reward.
He was told to get lost in no uncertain terms as we realised we would never have seen the folder again if my husband’s wallet or cash had been in it. Can you imagine what happens to hundreds of unsuspecting tourists? A disgrace.
Once I had a camera stolen out of my hand luggage by a ‘helpful handler’ on my way to Nambia six years ago. I wrote a letter to the then CEO of SAA naming the person and giving full details and am still awaiting an acknowledgement let alone any form of reply or apology.
Is this really the same country I grew up in? Is no-one prepared to accept any responsibility for this unacceptable behaviour and worst of all will there ever be any retribution for crimes committed on a daily basis which is simply sending our beautiful country on a downward slide into self-destruction.
The example comes from the top, the leaders, none of whom in this country are ever held accountable for the actions. How do we expect to have a real future for our children?
