An American magician and his associates were robbed at gunpoint while visiting a student in Khayelitsha, the Cape Times reported on Tuesday.
New York magician Steve Cuiffo, an associate of celebrity magician David Blaine; college director David Gore; and teachers Marian Williamson and Craig Mitchell spent Mother’s Day at the family home of a 15-year-old student in the Cape Town township.
”We were outside, getting into the van. Suddenly we were surrounded by men with guns,” Cuiffo said.
They were robbed of their valuables, including cameras, cellphones, wallets and Cuiffo’s treasured copy of Nelson Mandela’s memoirs, Long Walk to Freedom.
The hijackers then fled in the college’s branded ”Magic Van”, sponsored by the national lottery.
The student, who had earlier told Cuiffo about his dream of becoming a magician, cried and blamed himself for endangering his mentors, the report said.
The incident left a strong impression on the magician. ”But it makes me want to help even more … to help students break the cycle of poverty,” Cuiffo said.
The magicians thanked the Khayelitsha police and community for their support. — Sapa