JOHANNEBURG, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- One of the seven Iraqi delegates robbed at gunpoint shortly after arriving in Johannesburg is injured and in stable condition, it was confirmed on Friday.
The Iraqi man who sustained injuries to his head was out of danger, Iraqi Ambassador Saad Kindeel told Xinhua Friday.
"One of the delegation was hit on his head and was injured and transferred to hospital. His condition is stable," Kindeel said in a telephone interview.
Mayor of City of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, described the news of the robbery as "devastating" and said on Twitter that the "justice system is failing South Africans."
Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee said the tourists were followed from the OR Tambo International Airport as they made their way to hotel. The criminals left the scene in two vehicles with cash and jewellery.
"The Iraqi delegation were in the country since Tuesday. It's unfortunate that they were robbed," South Africa's national police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo told Xinhua, adding that the investigations were under way.
Last month, a group of Dutch tourists were attacked and robbed while travelling from OR Tambo International Airport. In that incident, a man dressed in a South African police uniform stopped the bus carrying the elderly tourists and participated in the robbery.
