The University of Pretoria has said it would ensure that plans were in place for the 19 American students robbed in Mamelodi on Monday to return home.
The students, along with two professors, lost their personal belongings including passports, plane tickets, laptops and cash during a robbery at the Viva Foundation pre-primary school in Lusaka.
University spokesperson Thamie Mthembu said the Americans were hosted by the university and were visiting the school as part of an outreach programme.
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Mthembu said the university was making the necessary arrangements with various authorities to ensure that the group was able to go back to the US.
“They lost some of their travel documents and so we are working with the department of international relations and co-operation and other relevant authorities to ensure that the necessary arrangements are made for them to go back home,” he said.
“We are also co-operating with police investigations.”
A group of armed men allegedly entered the premises at the same time as the international guests.
Viva Foundation spokesperson Meleney Kriel said the men produced firearms and forced the guests into a classroom full of grade 1 learners.
“When the learners started screaming, everyone was commanded to lay on the ground,” she said.
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Kriel’s daughter, Jennifer, a computer sciences teacher at the school, was outside when the attack took place. She was met by another group of gunmen, who allegedly hit her with a gun in the head leaving her face bloodied.
Mthembu said the university has offered counselling to the Americans and the learners at the school.
“We immediately called on our counselling services when we heard about the ordeal to help them.”
Police spokesperson Brigadier Mathepelo Pieters said the vehicle that matched the description of the getaway car was found abandoned at Mahube mall on Tuesday.
“We need to confirm it was the same vehicle,” she said.
“The vehicle at the scene had no registration number, so we must be absolutely sure.”
She said the police would “leave no stone unturned” in ensuring that the suspects were arrested.
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