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The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is in hot water after news of baggage tampering at O.R. Tambo International Airport surfaced recently.
South African musician, DJ Stokie, took to social media platform X to claim that his luggage was tampered with at the Jozi Airport on 30 December 2023.
The video shows that even a bag with a build in lock can’t keep thieving hands at bay.
Shame, not a great start to the year for anyone involved:
So yesterday i boarded a flight @emirates flight EK766 to Dubai at @ortambo_int airport at 21h45 only to have my bag vandalised and had all my branded items stolen, my sneakers and clothes all gone, this seems to be a norm with the staff at Or Tambo that checks in our bags . pic.twitter.com/tJHRyORWWv
— @djstokieSA (@djstokiesa) December 31, 2023
IOL notes that DJ Stokies’ complaint opened a can of worms for the airport as more travellers opened up about their luggage problems at the airport:
This has been happening for YEARS and it seems that @ortambo_int and @Airports_ZA refuse to do anything about it.
Mind you, if someone can open your bag to take stuff out, then they can as easily put stuff in. Next thing you’re banged up abroad for things you don’t know
— Neo (@Neo08756796) January 1, 2024
Someone else said they were “So disappointed with @emirates”:
So disappointed with @emirates . There is a syndicate going on at @ortambo_int of vandalizing and stealing peoples luggage . My luggage got stolen and I have lost all my valuable items including bags and jewellery on my flight EK764 at 18:50 on 29/12/2023.
— CEDII (@LesediiP) January 3, 2024
In response to the public outcry, ACSA issued an apology on behalf of O.R. Tambo, saying that it has a zero-tolerance approach to baggage pilfering and theft at airports.
“Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is aware of a recent incident at OR Tambo International Airport in which a passenger’s baggage was tampered with and possessions stolen – ACSA regrets this incident and would like to sincerely apologise to the affected traveller,” said the airports management company.
ACSA Regional General Manager of OR Tambo, Jabulani Khambule, said that ACSA is currently cooperating with the relevant airline and baggage handling company to ensure the incident is thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators are brought to book immediately.
Khambule clarified that while baggage handling is the responsibility of the airlines, ACSA will provide assistance and any relevant evidence, such as video footage, to aid the investigation and prosecute the perpetrators “to the full extent of the law”.
“I would like to warn all airport staff that any illegal or criminal behaviour will result in serious consequences,” said Khambule.
He also assured that ACSA will work to deter and fight fraud, corruption, dishonesty and theft of any kind.
“ACSA recently adopted an integrated, multi-agency safety and security approach throughout our airport network to enhance airport and aviation security in general.”
He mentioned that ACSA has rolled out an aviation security model that is vertically and horizontally integrated with various law enforcement authorities to root out criminality at our airports.
I’m terribly sorry for your experience, I can relate. this isn’t an @emirates issue, it’s an @ortambo_int issue, since they use common baggage infra for all airlines. It really sucks and it’s been going on for years, I don’t think things will change anytime soon.
— Wiza Jalakasi (@wizaj) January 3, 2024
[source:iol]
