Top couple cry foul over heist

A prominent Durban couple were assaulted and robbed of R210000 on the beachfront this week.

The robbery came shortly after the couple made their withdrawal from the International Bank Vaults, a private vault facility at Gateway Shopping Mall, sparking questions about the facility's security.

IBV has top-income earners as clientele who drive the latest sports cars such as Aston Martins, Ferraris and Porches.

On Tuesday afternoon, the couple - who asked not to be named - were assaulted and robbed by a group of men when they were seated in their car on the Durban beachfront.

The mother of one said: "After leaving IBV on our way to pay our rates, we stopped in Durban North to get a take-out. We then drove along the beachfront, where we stopped to eat. Shortly after stopping, it was like a bomb blast had hit my side of the window with a crowbar. A guy then demanded the bag with the money.

"They held guns to both our heads and he continued hitting at my leg with the crowbar because the bag was at my foot. The one guy said to the other in Zulu to just shoot us. At that point, I started reciting the Gayatri mantra [a Hindu prayer] loudly to distract him which I think intimidated him a little. He then asked for my wallet. I was holding on to it quietly because of my cards."

She said they eventually had to let go of the bag. "They were ruthless. The incident was so traumatising. We were devastated."

She said they were certain that they were followed from the shopping centre.

"At Gateway, we had experienced a suspicious scenario where a woman standing outside IBV was lifting her cellphone as though she was taking pictures of the bank vaults.

" It was only when I came home and realised that she must have been taking photographs of us in the car and sending to the guys to attack us.

"If IBV's security was on duty, the heist would have been derailed or it would have deterred them because they [the security] are trained to see suspicious people looking at us.

"Where was the security at Gateway to escort us in and out the vault?"

IBV's executive manager, Atisha Ghela, said they contacted their client after they became aware that the couple had been robbed on the Durban beachfront.

"We were rather perturbed that a client of IBV was attacked. Immediately upon becoming aware of the robbery, the surveillance footage was reviewed. There was no indication of anything untoward in respect of their entry and exit.

"IBV is equipped with a state of the art security system that includes a high-tech security control room within the vault. Specialised cameras located in the client parking lot outside the vault are under constant surveillance by our security officer in the control room. All footage is captured and stored digitally.

"Our standard of surveillance and security and vault are among the finest in the world. Our standards are continually monitored, audited and upgraded to comply with the finest international standards," said Ghela.

Police spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane confirmed a case of armed robbery was being investigated by Durban Central police.