A South African television reporter has recounted the moment armed robbers stormed his live broadcast location, stealing mobile phones and a laptop just as he was preparing to go on air. The incident, captured on video, has gone viral on social media.
Robbery disrupts live broadcast
The reporter, who works for SABC News, said he had just completed an earlier bulletin and was preparing for the seven o'clock news when the robbers struck. He was speaking on his phone with the executive producer about the upcoming live segment when one of the suspects approached him.
"I was confused because I was the only one with the light on. Everybody else was outside the area being lit. Then this person came looking for a phone," he recalled.
Reporter initially refused to hand over phone
The journalist said he initially refused to hand over his phone because he did not immediately realise he was being robbed. "So I wasn't giving him the phone. Then he calls the other one who has a gun," he said. A colleague urged him to cooperate after seeing the armed suspect. "Sophie screamed, 'Just give him the phone.' So I gave him the phone."
According to the reporter, the robbers made away with at least two or three mobile phones belonging to crew members, including his own, as well as the laptop used to manage the live broadcast connection with the station's satellite news gathering (DSNG) van. "They took about two or three phones... and the laptop that we were using to do the crossing linked to the DSNG van, and they just disappeared," he said.
No injuries reported, investigation underway
No injuries were reported during the robbery. Authorities are investigating the incident as efforts continue to identify and apprehend the suspects. The footage shows the broadcast being abruptly disrupted as the crew is confronted by the suspects, forcing them to abandon their assignment.
