Italian businessmen vow never to return to South Africa after being robbed

Durban - TWO Italian businessmen who were dining at the upmarket Marco Paulo restaurant in Mount Edgecombe when a heavily armed gang stormed the premises at the weekend have vowed never to return to South Africa.

A waiter who saw the robbery said the incident had made him lose faith in the police after a 10111 operator allegedly refused to log his call and insisted he report the robbery, which was still in progress, directly to the Phoenix police.

When he pleaded for help, the operator allegedly hung up on him.

The Italian men were being hosted by Durban businessman Victor Govender and his family on Saturday night.

Govender, the owner of Swiftair - an international logistics company - said his dining party comprised seven adults and a four-year-old.

He said they were being served their meals at about 9.30pm when he heard a sound, like someone falling.

"We were seated towards the rear of the restaurant. All I could see was people leaping off their chairs and going under the table," Govender said. Seconds later, he saw the gunmen.

"They went from table to table asking diners to hand over their guns, cellphones and jewellery. During the commotion I managed to remove my Rolex watch and hide it in my shirt pocket."

He said the robbers insisted the Italian businessmen hand over their guns.

"They had guns pointed at them. I told the robbers that they did not have guns."

Marco Medici was robbed of his wallet, E500 (R5 800) and his BlackBerry cellphone, while Lorenzo Cerretelli's credit cards, R500 in cash, cellphone and camera were stolen.

Govender said the entire ordeal lasted less than three minutes but had seemed like an eternity.

"My business associates were extremely traumatised. They booked the first flight home on Tuesday," he said. "These thugs were brazen. They did not even wear masks."

He said the businessmen had told him they had heard about crime in South Africa and watched it on television, but never expected to become victims.

"They are very disillusioned and have vowed never to return to South Africa."

Waiter Cameron Delaney, 20, said he was walking into the dining area from the kitchen when he heard a commotion.

"At first I thought there was a fight. Then I saw about 10 armed men storm the restaurant. One of them pistol-whipped one of the owners, Paul Shepherd."

Delaney said he turned around and ran to the back door. "Another waiter ran out with me to the underground parking lot. We hid in a corner and tried to call the other owner, Billy Frank. He was not answering."

They then called 10111 and the call went unanswered.

"We eventually got through and told the operator that there was an armed robbery in progress and they should dispatch help immediately."

He said the operator told them they had phoned the wrong station and should contact the Phoenix police.

"We told the operator that it was a crisis - that the robbery was happening as we were speaking. There appeared to be no care or cause for alarm."

Delaney said they asked the operator if she could alert the Phoenix police, but the answer was a curt "no".

He said after a short while, the robbers had left and Enforce Security guards were the first to arrive on the scene and offer help.

"They cordoned off the area, helped the diners who were in distress and called the paramedics, who arrived about 20 minutes later. The police were the last to arrive, almost 45 minutes later."

He described the 10111 service as unacceptable.

"Police need to have a more efficient structure in place. This incident has made me lose faith in police. In fact, the next time I have an emergency, I will call a friend," Delaney said.

Police said the men, who were armed with AK-47 assault rifles, had demanded the safe keys before searching the diners.

They took cellphones, wallets and fled in their getaway vehicle, police said.

No arrests had been made and a case of armed robbery was being investigated by Phoenix police.

It is believed the gang is wanted for a spate of armed robberies in the Durban area.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman, Captain Thulani Zwane, denied police responded 45 minutes later.

"We have looked into the matter and found that a complaint was indeed received for this incident. The first complaint came at 21:34 and the second at 21:35," he said.

"Phoenix police vehicles were dispatched and according to our records they were at the crime scene at 21:39. It appears the complaint was received and dispatched timeously."

However, Enforce director Anthony Feuilherade, who was also at the restaurant at the time of the robbery, dismissed Zwane's claims.

"It's all lies. The police came 45 minutes later," he said. "The robbery only went down at about 9:30pm. There is no way they responded nine minutes later. The CCTV footage will show that."

Meanwhile, a 10111 operator who recently logged a woman's cry for help as a hoax while she and her family were being held by robbers, has been charged with neglect of duty.

She is expected to face an internal disciplinary hearing later this month.

More than 58 000 hoax calls had been fielded at the Durban call centre alone in the past 10 months, police had earlier said.

This translates to more than 5 000 hoax calls a month, up to 200 a day and more than eight an hour.