Two foreign delegates attending the International Sociological Association’s world congress in Durban were beaten and assaulted within three hours of arriving in the city on Saturday evening.
Mexican sociologist Daniel Gutierrez Martinez (33) and Belgian sociologist Delphine Resteigne (28) were attacked by a group of at least 10 youths who attempted to mug them.
The two were trying to find a taxi to take them back to their hotel, the Road Lodge, when they were surrounded by the youths, some of whom they believe were as young as 15-years old.
Martinez (33) suffered a broken nose, ruptured eye vessels and severe bruising while Resteigne, who lost her glasses and a necklace, suffered a bump to the head.
Speaking at Durban’s St Augustine’s hospital after his ordeal, Martinez said he and Resteigne had left the hotel to find an international plug adapter shortly after arriving in Durban on Saturday afternoon. A taxi had taken them to ”some shops” where they could purchase the adapters.
However, it was when trying to find a taxi that they lost their way and strayed into Durban’s Point Road area when they were surrounded and attacked by the group.
”I thought it would be relatively safe in the city centre. We got lost and saw that we were in an area that did not look good,” said Resteigne.
Martinez said: ”Some of them were as young as 15-years-old.”
He said in the struggle he had lost sight of Resteigne and eventually managed to free himself and flee to the nearest hotel. Police were called and they found Resteigne safe in a nearby fast food shop.
”I thought she was raped,” he said.
The Beach Hotel’s assistant food and beverage manager Owen Lloyd said there had been a spate of attacks in Durban’s West Street recently.
At the same time that Martinez was waiting for the police to arrive another couple, whom Martinez believes are from the United States, arrived at the hotel seeking help. They too had been mugged.
Lloyd said there had been a spate of attacks in Durban’s West Street recently.
He said victims of muggings and stabbings regularly came to the hotel for assistance and that members of his staff were often afraid to go home at night.
”We battle to get a response from the SAPS [South African Police Service]. It [contacting the police] is a constant problem,” Lloyd said.
Resteigne, who works for the Belgian Royal Military Academy in Brussels, said she had been pushed to the ground when she refused to hand over her hand bag.
”It happened so fast. I couldn’t see him [Martinez] so I just ran.”
She then managed to get help from a nearby fast food shop.
”This is a problem. In every beach city tourists want to go to the beach, but here they have to pass through areas like this,” she said.
Martinez, who is due to present a paper at the congress, said: ”How are they going to handle this when they hold the World Cup [in 2010].”
He said he never felt unsafe while attending the recent World Cup in Germany.
”This is incredible. I am here three hours and two blocks from my hotel and this happens. I hope this is not happening to other people. There is this kind of feeling that you cannot leave your hotel without any kind of assistance,” said Martinez.
He said he would be staying for the congress, which starts on Sunday.
However, Resteigne, was not so sure.
”I want to go home. I will sleep and see how I feel in the morning. On the one side I want to present my paper, but if I stay my family will worry about me. If I think of the World Cup they will have a lot to do.”
Attempts to contact police spokesperson Captain Gugu Sabela were unsuccessful. – Sapa